Jaguar and Land Rover aren’t the only British crown jewels that Indian auto companies are looking at. Two-wheeler maker Bajaj Auto is focusing on British cult bike company Triumph as a possible takeover target.

According to sources in the auto industry, Bajaj was earlier looking at Triumph and Italian cult bike company Ducati but has now decided to focus only on Triumph. When contacted, Bajaj Auto MD Rajiv Bajaj refused to comment. Sources say Bajaj is looking to snap up a cult, top-end European bike brand to compliment its product line-up in India and position itself as a global, rather than regional player in the motorcycle market. Triumph, given its niche positioning, cult brand image and strong product line-up, is an attractive target for the Pune-based company.

Sources also say Ducati’s sky-high valuations and the Italian company’s history of labour trouble could have tilted the scale in Triumph’s favour.

ET had reported on July 15 that Bajaj was zeroing in on Triumph and Ducati as possible takeover targets. With a small car and commercial vehicle tie-up with French company Renault on the anvil, Bajaj Auto is looking to reinvent itself as a complete automobile company with products spanning cars, bikes and two-wheelers, three-wheelers and trucks and buses.

Worldwide, companies like BMW and Honda boast both motorcycles and cars in their stable with both segments maintaining the brand’s unique positioning. Bajaj Auto has been getting increasingly aggressive with its bike retail channel Probiking and Mr Bajaj has been on record to say that the company will crank out more products to stock its Probiking shelves. Bajaj Auto has taken the view that entry-level four stroke motorcycles will become defunct as the second-largest bike market in the world moves towards performance.

Triumph, which has a plant in Hinckley, ran into trouble over costs and labour issues. It went bankrupt in 1983 and was bought over by John Bloor, the current CEO. Incidentally, Enfield India had bid for the bikemaker but its bid amount of £55,000 did not make the grade.

Under Mr Bloor, Triumph fixed its design and cost problems, got its product line-up going, established low cost sourcing plants in Thailand — a manufacturing facility in 2003, an assembly line and paint shop last year and is building a third engine plant there.

The company’s sales and turnover are both up and profits are flat due to investments. It’s current roster spans from the iconic Bonneville of the 60s to the latest range including the Rocket III and the Speed.