Bajaj Qute Quadricycle Launched In Maharashtra; Prices Start At Rs. 2.48 Lakh

Bajaj Auto today officially launched its first quadricycle, the Bajaj Qute in Maharashtra at a starting price of Rs. 2.48 lakh (ex-showroom...

Bajaj Auto today officially launched its first quadricycle, the Bajaj Qute in Maharashtra at a starting price of Rs. 2.48 lakh (ex-showroom, Maharashtra). Bajaj Auto has been manufacturing the Qute in India for a while now for export markets and it will be launched across India in a phased manner. The new Qute is also the country's first ever quadricycle and is offered in both petrol and CNG option with the latter being priced in India at Rs. 2.78 lakh (ex-showroom, Maharashtra). The new Bajaj Qute quadricycle bridges the gap between a three-wheeler rickshaw and a proper four-wheeler, could possibly be a replacement for the former.

Also Read: 2019 Bajaj Qute Launch Date Confirmed

In terms of design and utility, the new Bajaj Qute is slightly bigger than a regular auto rickshaw from Bajaj, measuring 2750 mm in length, 1312 mm in width, and 1652 mm in height. Visually, the Qute looks pretty compact but offers car-like features like dual headlamps with integrated turn signal lights, a beefy plastic cladded bumper a single wiper for the windshield, and standard outside rear-view mirrors. The Qute is coming with a high roof, narrow body, and small 12-inch steel wheels. At the rear, we have a pair of taillamps, a plastic cladded bumper and a small rear windshield.

Also Read: 2019 Bajaj Qute First Drive Review

The dashboard features an analogue speedometer at the centre with a small digital screen which gives readouts for the fuel gauge, selected gear, odometer and time.

The cabin, on the other hand, is minimalistic. You get a seating capacity best suited for three average adults plus the driver. The dashboard features an analogue speedometer at the centre with a small digital screen which gives readouts for the fuel gauge, selected gear, odometer and time. The gear shifter lever positioned below it and on the right, we have a pretty basic-looking steering wheel. The dashboard also comes with two decently sized, lockable storage compartments.

There's a row of small vertical vents on the A-pillars, which let in the air into the cabin.

There are no vents on the dash, so no air-conditioning, and no blower as well, so for ventilation, you have to open the sliding windows. There's a row of small vertical vents on the A-pillars, which let in air from vents above the black plastic front bumper. The inside of the doors do offer generous storage space, but there is space to store up to 20 kg under the bonnet, and the rear seats can be folded down to make 400 litres of storage.

The Bajaj Qute is available both in petrol and CNG variants.

The Bajaj Qute is powered by a rear-mounted 216 cc, single-cylinder, twin-spark engine which is available as a mono-fuel version, meaning, you can either get it in petrol form or CNG, not both. The petrol version churns out around 13 bhp at 5500 rpm and develops 18.9 Nm of peak torque at 4,000 rpm. The CNG variant is tuned to develop just 10 bhp and around 16 Nm of peak torque, and the engine is paired to a five-speed gearbox.

After Rajasthan, Kerala, UP, and Odisha, Maharashtra is the fifth state to get this new quadricycle.

Rajasthan, Odisha and Gujarat are other states where the Qute is already on sale. Bajaj expects the CNG variant to be the bigger seller, considering the vehicle is more suited for commercial application as a people carrier. The Bajaj Qute ex-showroom prices for Delhi are Rs. 2.63 lakh for the petrol and Rs.2.83 lakh for the CNG model. At these prices, the Qute is around a lakh more than a three-wheeled auto-rickshaw, but for that premium, you get a four-wheeled vehicle that is a bit more safer and offers better weather protection, it's frugal to run, and most importantly, convenient to drive and use in crowded areas. 

from NDTV CarAndBike - Latest News http://bit.ly/2IrhUua