Blaupunkt India targets mass market with two new car stereos

Audio major Blaupunkt India launched two new car stereos for the Indian market today in Mumbai. Called Tokyo 110 and Manchester 110, they are aggressively priced at Rs 4,990 and Rs 5,990 respectively. They were launched worldwide in July 2014 but have just been launched in India. These single-DIN audio players are aimed at building the lower end of Blaupunkt’s in-car entertainment system portfolio in the country.

Both these systems support USB and SD card playback and come equipped with an aux-in, FM/ AM capabilities, blue backlighting and remote controls. The difference between the two is that while Manchester 110 comes equipped with a CD player, Tokyo 110 does not. Both units come with a two-year warranty as well. However, they do not support Bluetooth connectivity.

These two products allow Blaupunkt to target the extreme low end of the in-car entertainment system market in India. The company says its primary target audience includes fleet taxis, second-hand cars, and cars devoid of entertainment systems. They are looking to capitalise on consumers looking for an economical solution to their car infotainment needs. According to company officials, Blaupunkt is perceived as a very expensive brand and by tapping into the mass market, they are trying to change that.

Preeti Bakshi, marketing head of Blaupunkt India, said: “With Tokyo and Manchester, Blaupunkt has once again demonstrated its ability to provide unmatched value across its product portfolio, be it in the high-end multimedia navigation space, sound solutions or with low-priced single-DIN radios like these. These models raise the bar on value, while lowering the price point for a quality car radio. After a phenomenal response worldwide, we expect these products to be very successful in the Indian market.”

Blaupunkt aims to sell approximately 8,000 units of both the Manchester 110 and Tokyo 110 together, every month, which translates into nearly 100,000 units a year. While Blaupunkt’s high-end infotainment systems are manufactured in Malaysia, the Manchester 110 and Tokyo 110 will be made in China.

Blaupunkt is slowly trying to increase its presence in the Indian market. The company recently opened its first dedicated brand store in Kochi and plans to open two more in Bangalore and Delhi by the end of this year.

At the two-product launch today, the company revealed other new product plans for the near future as well. This includes a low-end stereo system with integrated speakers by January 2015 and a product along the lines of the Manchester 110 and the Tokyo 110 which supports Bluetooth, in the first quarter of 2015.