Monday, June 1, 2026
28.1 C
New Delhi

It ain’t a Ferrari, if it don’t look Ferrari

The reason electric supercars dont sell is the luxury attached to their ancestors.
The reason electric supercars dont sell is the luxury attached to their ancestors.

Bajaj Auto domestic sales rise 10% to 2.48 lakh units in May; exports jump 34%

Synopsis: Bajaj Auto reported domestic sales of 2,48,031 units in May 2026, up 10 per cent year-on-year, driven by growth in both two-wheelers and commercial vehicles. Total sales rose 20 per cent to 4.61 lakh units, supported by strong export demand.

New Delhi: Bajaj Auto reported domestic sales of 2,48,031 units in May 2026, registering a 10 per cent increase compared with 2,25,733 units sold in the corresponding month last year.

The Pune-based automaker’s total sales, including exports, grew 20 per cent year-on-year to 4,61,257 units during the month, up from 3,84,621 units in May 2025. Exports surged 34 per cent to 2,13,226 units, highlighting continued strength in overseas markets.

In the two-wheeler segment, domestic sales increased 9 per cent to 2,09,528 units from 1,91,412 units a year ago. Exports of motorcycles and scooters rose 30 per cent to 1,83,676 units, taking total two-wheeler sales to 3,93,204 units, an increase of 18 per cent.

The commercial vehicle business also posted strong growth. Domestic CV sales rose 12 per cent to 38,503 units, while exports jumped 65 per cent to 29,550 units. Total commercial vehicle sales stood at 68,053 units, up 30 per cent year-on-year.

For the April-May period of FY27, Bajaj Auto’s domestic sales grew 11 per cent to 4,96,241 units compared with 4,46,348 units in the same period last year. Total sales for the two-month period increased 30 per cent to 9,75,049 units, aided by a 57 per cent rise in exports.

The strong export performance continues to support Bajaj Auto’s overall growth trajectory, with overseas markets contributing nearly half of the company’s total volumes during the month.

If it’s a Ferrari, it’s gotta look, sound and drive like one. Luce, Ferrari’s first e-supercar, has divided its clientele, like split electrons. It’s pricey enough. It has power, thus the vroom. But it doesn’t appeal to the Ferrari purist. And for a reason. e-Cars are designed differently. They tend to be taller than road-hugging hypercars. That wrecks the silhouette of what has come to be associated with fast cars. Gone are the curves – and, worse – Ferrari Luce has five seats. Mamma mia! The car has been designed in association with Apple fame Jony Ive.

So, it’s gotta appeal to new buyers Ferrari is targeting, right? But the same way you’d react to a drawerful of iPhones that don’t look Apple-y enough, if you have a garage full of Ferraris, you may be tempted to draw a curtain around Luce. Because (nearly) everything in the Ferrari brand is about design. Then again, you might not, just for sheer variety.

Rival Lamborghini has taken the hint from the reception to Luce, scrapping plans for its e-supercar. This could be an overreaction. The number of cars that need to be sold in this category to turn in a profit can easily be reached through curiosity demand.

The reason electric supercars don’t sell is the luxury attached to their ancestors. Luxury carmakers need to change that mindset. But it’s not an easy job. All EVs are way more powerful than their fuel-guzzling grandfathers. This closes the gap between a regular car and a sports car both running on batteries. Luxury pricing has to be justified through design, which tends to suffer on account of heavy batteries.

Then there is Formula E, which doesn’t work quite as well as Formula 1 because electric cars don’t have the endurance. They can’t do the same number of laps. Formula E is gaining popularity. Yet, it’s far from being a ramp for car couture.

Ferrari is using its fabled ‘bucking horse’ brand loyalty to broaden the definition of luxury in the auto industry. Enzo Ferrari would have approved. Never mind what he thought about Luce’s looks as he shifted in his grave.

  • Published On Jun 1, 2026 at 09:22 AM IST

Join the community of 2M+ industry professionals.

Subscribe to Newsletter to get latest insights & analysis in your inbox.

All about ETAuto industry right on your smartphone!

Go to Source

Hot this week

Inside Stalin’s hidden wine cellar in Georgia: 40,000 rare French and Georgian bottles emerge after decades underground

PC: European Times Deep beneath the streets of Tbilisi, behind heavy doors and years of silence, sits a collection that few people have ever seen. Dust-covered bottles. Faded labels. Cobwebs hanging from stone ceilings. Read More

Over 1,100 Suspected Ebola Cases In Africa, 43 Dead So Far, Health Body Urges Wider Response

Jean Kaseya, the director-general of Africa CDC, said there were 263 confirmed cases in DR Congo and Uganda, along with 43 deaths. Read More

Trump’s Health Report Omits Cardiac Scores, Other Crucial Test Metrics; Sparks Transparency Concerns

Doctors reviewing Trump’s latest health report say key cardiac details and past medical conditions were omitted, raising questions about transparency. Read More

World Milk Day 2026: Amul’s Journey, White Revolution & India’s Dairy Story

World Milk Day 2026: How Amul’s co-operative in Gujarat sparked India’s White Revolution, making the country the world’s largest milk producer under Dr Verghese Kurien. Read More

Centre appoints five new Supreme Court judges, strength to rise to 37

Image credit: ANI The Supreme Court is set to get five new judges after the Central Government cleared the names recommended by the SC Collegium, taking the apex court close to its newly expanded sanctioned strength of 38. Read More

Topics

Inside Stalin’s hidden wine cellar in Georgia: 40,000 rare French and Georgian bottles emerge after decades underground

PC: European Times Deep beneath the streets of Tbilisi, behind heavy doors and years of silence, sits a collection that few people have ever seen. Dust-covered bottles. Faded labels. Cobwebs hanging from stone ceilings. Read More

Over 1,100 Suspected Ebola Cases In Africa, 43 Dead So Far, Health Body Urges Wider Response

Jean Kaseya, the director-general of Africa CDC, said there were 263 confirmed cases in DR Congo and Uganda, along with 43 deaths. Read More

Trump’s Health Report Omits Cardiac Scores, Other Crucial Test Metrics; Sparks Transparency Concerns

Doctors reviewing Trump’s latest health report say key cardiac details and past medical conditions were omitted, raising questions about transparency. Read More

World Milk Day 2026: Amul’s Journey, White Revolution & India’s Dairy Story

World Milk Day 2026: How Amul’s co-operative in Gujarat sparked India’s White Revolution, making the country the world’s largest milk producer under Dr Verghese Kurien. Read More

Centre appoints five new Supreme Court judges, strength to rise to 37

Image credit: ANI The Supreme Court is set to get five new judges after the Central Government cleared the names recommended by the SC Collegium, taking the apex court close to its newly expanded sanctioned strength of 38. Read More

‘Beware Of Pickpockets’: Rahul Gandhi Accuses CBSE Of Profiting From Evaluation Mistakes

He also criticised the evaluation system, claiming that errors were inevitable when answer sheets were scanned using mobile phones. Read More

Crude Oil Near $100: How Rising Energy Costs Could Impact Corporate India And Stock Markets

Show Quick Read Key points generated by AI, verified by newsroom Rising crude oil prices renew inflation concerns for India. Higher fuel costs increase operating expenses across sectors. Read More

WATCH: Krunal Pandya Celebrates IPL 2026 Glory With Adorable Father-Son Moment

Show Quick Read Key points generated by AI, verified by newsroom Krunal Pandya secured his fifth IPL title after RCB’s win. He joins an elite list of players with multiple IPL championships. Read More

Related Articles