Husqvarna Svartpilen 401 to launch in local market soon
Financial Express, 29 Dec '23
Husqvarna set foot in India in early 2020 with its 250cc twins- Svartpilen and Vitpilen.
As per a recent media report, Husqvarna could finally launch the Svartpilen 401 in India very soon. The online report mentions that the Svartpilen 401 is likely to be introduced in January 2024.
Svartpilen 401 launch in India
The report further claims that some dealers have already started accepting pre-bookings for the same at a token amount of Rs. 5,000 (US$ 60).
Svartpilen 401 is not an all-new bike as it has been on sale in international markets, along with its sibling- Vitpilen 401, for a long time now. However, it never made it to India, despite it being manufactured in India.
For the uninitiated, both the Husqvarna bikes- Svartpilen and Vitpilen- are manufactured by Bajaj Auto at its Chakan-based facility. The 401 range is shipped to overseas markets. Husqvarna and KTM are owned by Pierer Mobility, hence its India operations are handled by Bajaj.
Photograph's of the Svartpilen 401 have surfaced on the internet on multiple occasions over the last couple of years. However, there was no concrete development on the same until now.
The recent spy photograph confirm that its design remains almost identical to its quarter-litre sibling with a familiar neo-scrambler styling highlights.
Svartpilen 401: Design, specs, & features
Visual highlights of Svartpilen 401 include a circular headlamp, a single-piece saddle with a floating tail section, a single-piece grab rail, black alloy wheels, and a chiselled fuel tank.
Features on-board the Svartpilen 401 will include LED headlamp and taillight, a digital instrument console with smartphone connectivity and riding modes. It could also offer a quick shifter as an optional feature.
As for powertrain, it is expected for Husqvarna to offer the new 399cc, single-cylinder, liquid-cooled engine borrowed from the new-gen KTM Duke 390.
This motor is paired with a six-speed gearbox and pushes out 46 PS and 39 Nm of peak torque. The Svartpilen 401 could also borrow the ride-by-wire, and multiple riding models from the new-gen streetfighter from KTM.
As for hardware, the upcoming Svartpilen 401 will be suspended on upside-down front forks and a gullwing swingarm with an offset monoshock at the rear.
Braking duties will comprise disc brakes at both ends with dual-channel ABS as standard, with switchable rear ABS a strong possibility.
The bike will roll on alloy wheels (unlike wire-spoked wheels in international spec) shod with dual-purpose knobby tyres, that will enhance its scrambling credentials.