Royal Enfield makes it easy to become enchanted

Royal Enfield CEO Dr. Venki Padmanabhan.

Wheels Unplugged, an automotive news source based in India, posted an outstanding Q-and-A interview with Royal Enfield CEO Dr. Venki Padmanabhan, by Anamit Sen.

The CEO neatly summarizes the complete transition to the Unit Constructed Engine (UCE) in 2010 and predicts an outstanding sales year in 2011. Outstanding in India, that is. Exports account for only 5 per cent of sales, he says, split among 30 different countries!

What I like about Dr. Padmanabhan's statements is his appreciation of the history of Royal Enfield: its defeat by the Japanese in Britain, the long but bumpy road in India, and the turnaround engineered by the Eicher brand.

"Royal Enfield is an aspirational motorcycle brand in India, and a 'Romantic British' brand in the rest of the world. In my opinion, we occupy a clear niche and mean to make it fantastically easy for people to find us, ride us, and enjoy a life of leisure," he says.

I particularly like the headline of the article: "All are welcome to be enchanted." That sums up the appeal of Royal Enfield for me.

Recommended reading.