Ashok Leyland?s A. Ramasubramaniam in New Delhi on Tuesday. Picture by Ramakant Kushwaha

New Delhi, Jan. 10: Hinduja flagship Ashok Leyland will roll out its luxury coach, InterCentury Luxura?, commercially by the second quarter of 2006-07, thereby marking its foray into the high-end bus market. Meanwhile, the company will showcase it during the forthcoming auto expo in the city scheduled for later this week.

?We are planning to launch the Luxura by the second quarter of the next fiscal,? said B. Khaitan, special director (vehicle sales) of Ashok Leyland Ltd, while speaking to reporters at a preview of the company?s offerings ahead of the expo.

Khaitan said Luxura would be competitively priced at approximately Rs 50 lakh, giving direct competition to rival Volvo.

?While the prices of our offerings would vary, but we expect prices to be around Rs 50 lakh and this is competitive enough,? he added.

The truck major is eyeing 50 per cent of the luxury coach market in the near future.

Khaitan said the niche segment is expected to grow to 600 units in the next one year from 200-250 units at present.

The 12-metre long Luxura has a seating capacity of 45 and boasts of some of the latest features that comply with the European safety norms.

Ashok Leyland will also showcase its concept heavy commercial vehicle Newgen Aero which is aimed at the tractor segment.

The indigenously developed, futuristic tractor is powered by an 8-litre engine. It is Bharat stage II complaint with the potential to meet BS III and IV norms.

Company sources said it would take another two years for Newgen Auto to run on commercial lines.

On the medium and heavy commercial vehicle segment, Khaitan said the company had added 4 per cent market share in the last nine months taking its share to 31 per cent.

He said that 2005-06 was expected to be slightly sluggish compared to 2004-05 when 1.66 lakh units were sold in this segment.

However, Khaitan is bullish about the growth prospects in 2006-07. ?The GDP growth rate and infrastructure development in the country will provide a fillip to the M&HCV segment,? he said.