Yamaha launches Ray Z, its second scooter in India

Goa, May 24, 2013: Yamaha Motor India has launched its second scooter for India. The Ray Z is aimed at young male users in the 16-22 age group. The new model adopts the same air-cooled 4-stroke 113cc engine with CVT (Continuous Variable Transmission) as used in the first scooter, the Ray which is targeted at female riders and was launched in September 2012.

The changes for the Ray Z are mainly cosmetic. The scooter gets a smoked-finish visor for a motorcycle-like look, aluminium rear wing-shaped tandem rider grab-bars, a new instrument panel with a carbon fibre patterned background and dynamic coloring and graphics. Launching the Ray Z, Hiroyuki Yanagi, president and CEO, Yamaha Motor Co., Japan announced the new brand slogan ‘Revs your Heart’. Explaining the concept, he said, “With this new brand slogan and brand statement as a guide, the entire Yamaha Motor Group will work together to make advancements in craftsmanship and marketing that are uniquely Yamaha, and provide Kando (simultaneous feelings of deep satisfaction and intense excitement) that exceeds the expectations of our customers across the globe.” India Yamaha Motor has targeted aggressive growth and in February this year announced the establishment of a separate sales and marketing unit, Yamaha Motor India Sales (YMIS). This division will be responsible for driving sales and marketing initiatives.

IYML sold a total of 35,927 units in April 2013 including 10,219 Ray scooters. The Ray has seen considerable popularity among female riders and the company has been educating young women to adopt safe riding habits with the Yamaha Female Riding Training Program (YFRT). YFRT programme has already been conducted in Chennai, Kolkata, Bangalore, Pune, Hyderabad and Coimbatore. The company now plans to take the programme forward to smaller towns and cities.

Photograph: Hiroyuki Yanagi, president and CEO, Yamaha Motor Co, Japan, at the launch of the Ray Z in Goa.