Ashok Leyland Dost sells 34,917 units in 2012-13; to be exported to SAARC markets

Chennai, April 4, 2013: Commercial vehicle manufacturer Ashok Leyland is all set to roll out its 2.5-tonne Dost small commercial vehicle in the SAARC markets.

The vehicle, which has completed its first full fiscal year of sales, has sold a cumulative 34,917 units in the 12 states where it is currently marketed in India (see sales data below). The Dost currently has a market share of 19 percent in the 2-3.5-tonne category. With a new dealership network of 100, the company is pitching for a pan-India presence for the Dost as well as kicking off exports. At the same time, plans are underway to augment its LCV portfolio with CNG and passenger versions of the Dost.

The Dost, which has a payload capacity of 1.25 tonnes, is available in three trim levels with the top-end version equipped with AC and power steering. Ashok Leyland also has on offer Ready-to-Use Vehicles (RUVs) on the Dost platform for various applications such as refrigerated containers, steel containers, ambulance, aluminium fixed side decks and service-at-site vehicles.

“We set out to create a vehicle to meet the requirements of an evolving LCV customer in India and are appreciative of the overwhelming customer response to Dost,” said V Sumantran, vice-chairman, Ashok Leyland. According to him, the Dost has redefined the benchmark among SCVs with its performance, reliability and low cost of ownership but admits “We still have a long road in front of us but this surely is a journey that has started off well for us.”

LCVs have been on a roll in India with products like the Tata Ace and the Dost bucking the slowdown in the commercial vehicle segment. Industry-wide, LCV sales rose 16 percent in the first 11 months of the current financial year.