Volvo launches new luxury bus

Commercial vehicle maker Volvo India on Thursday unveiled a revamped version of its luxury inter-city bus to capitalise on the growing traffic.

The luxury B7R model, priced at Rs 52 lakhs (Rs 5.2 million), is 10-15 per cent costlier than its earlier version, managing director Ulf Nordqvist told newspersons in New Delhi.

The company is also in talks with Mumbai-based local transport authority BEST, besides Bangalore authorities for introducing Volvo models for public transport.

General manager Akash Passey said the company was targeting the luxury inter-city AC market for buses and had no concrete plans as of yet to venture into intra-city segment.

Volvo, which first launched its buses in the Indian market in October 2001, has already put some 300 buses on the roads mostly operating in western and southern regions, particularly the Mumbai-Pune sector.

The company now plans to enter the northern sector beginning with the Delhi-Jaipur section besides exporting to Bangladesh. With domestic highway network improving, the company sees greater business opportunities.