Ashok Leyland reveals the Stile, launch before festive season

Chennai, July 16, 2013: Ashok Leyland has unveiled the Stile, a multi-purpose vehicle based on a contemporary award-winning platform. This vehicle, which was first revealed at the 2012 Auto Expo in New Delhi, follows the Dost as the second product offering from Ashok Leyland’s Light Vehicle business. Both the Stile and the Dost small commercial vehicle are based on the NV 200 platform.

The vehicle which will target the Toyota Innova, Mahindra Xylo and even the Nissan Evalia that was developed by the Ashok Leyland-Nissan Motor Company joint venture. Set to hit the roads closer to Diwali (in November), the Stile will roll out from Nissan’s plant at Oragadam, near Chennai. The Stile has been developed to address various applications like 7-8-seat people transport in urban and rural areas, hotel shuttles, taxi services, ambulances, panel vans, courier services, inter-city and intra-city travel. The Stile’s monocoque body construction makes for lower weight. The common-rail diesel engine, ‘DIET, has been tuned for low NVH (noise, vibration, harshness) and best-in-class fuel efficiency. The vehicle will have both diesel and CNG versions.

G P Hinduja, chairman, Hinduja Group, said: “Our shared vision has found expression in both the products that we have engineered thus far – the Dost and Stile.” Carlos Ghosn, CEO, Nissan-Renault Alliance, said: “This collaboration has accelerated Ashok Leyland sales and increased Nissan’s economies of scale, while providing customers with products specifically tailored to Indian preferences.”

Dheeraj G Hinduja, chairman, Ashok Leyland, commented: “With the Stile, Ashok Leyland is entering a new vehicle segment.” Dr V Sumantran, vice-chairman of Ashok Leylandand chairman, Nissan Ashok Leyland Powertrain, said, ”Right from the outset, we were determined not to remain a one- product/platform or niche player in the LCV space. Following the successful run of the Dost, we are now delighted to present our brand-new vehicle on an award-winning platform that reflects our continued focus on offering Japanese technology and quality at an Indian cost.”

Photograph (L-R) Dr V Sumantran, vice-president; Ashok Leyland and chairman, Ashok Leyland-Nissan; G P Hinduja, co-chairman, Hinduja Group; Dheeraj Hinduja, chairman, Ashok Leyland; Carlos Ghosn, CEO, Renault-Nissan Alliance and Andy Palmer, executive vice-president, Nissan Motors.