Ashok Leyland launches future-ready Neptune engine

Chennai, August 23, 2013: Ashok Leyland has launched its Neptune engine, which has been designed and developed in-house. According to the company, the engine has been globally benchmarked for greater fuel efficiency, lower maintenance, longer life, greater reliability and superior NVH (Noise, Vibration and Harshness) characteristics.

The future-ready Neptune engine will be available in BS III and BS IV versions and has been readied for BS V and VI applications. The modular sub-system design ensures maximum vehicle uptime and better NVH characteristics while the CRS with electronic-governance ensures high fuel efficiency, easy serviceability, lower lifecycle cost and reliability, the company said. Neptune engines will range from 160 hp to 380 hp and will be deployed across a range of trucks and buses in a phased manner.

“This is perhaps the most significant development in our roadmap to being future ready,” said Vinod K Dasari, managing director. He added that the engine was tested over two million kilometres of trials in the most demanding of operating conditions and it has come out with flying colours.

Ashok Leyland’s new truck, the first product powered by Neptune, launched at Sankagiri, Tamil Nadu, has been named the Sankagiri Express 3120 as a tribute to the bonds forged and nurtured over time between the lorry operators in the region and the company.