Ashok Leyland Bada Dost LCV Launch Price Rs 7.75 L

Ashok Leyland Bada Dost is built on a new platform and is offered in two variants

Hinduja Group’s flagship company, Ashok Leyland today announced the launch of an all new LCV, called Bada Dost. As the name suggests, Ashok Leyland Bada Dost is a larger version of the company’s Dost LCV. But it is not based on the same platform.

Bada Dost LCV is based on an all new platform which has been developed in-house by the Chennai based Ashok Leyland. While the Dost platform was developed under a JV with Nissan. Ashok Leyland and Nissan JV ended in 2016. In 2017, Ashok Leyland started working on the Bada Dost project. About 3 years and Rs 350 crores later, today they successfully launched their state of the art, modern LCV.

Variants and Price

Ashok Leyland Bada Dost is offered in a choice of two – i3 and i4. Engine powering the two is same, but it is the size which is different. Ashok Leyland Bada Dost i3 LX is the smaller of the two, and is priced from Rs 7.75 lakhs.

The bigger i4 variant is further divided into two trims of LS and LX – based on the features on offer. Bada Dost i4 LS is priced from Rs 7.79 lakhs while the top of the line Bada Dost i4 LX is priced from Rs 7.99 lakhs. All prices are ex-sh. All variants have the same seating capacity – D+2 (Driver + 2).

Interiors & Colours

Ashok Leyland Bada Dost offers comfortable seating with ARAI certified 1+2 seating arrangement. Legroom and headroom is enough for all three in the cabin. Steering and dashboard layout is such that it is comfortable for long drives. AC as well as power steering is on offer. Interiors are done in all black. 4 exterior colour options are on offer with all variants. These are Ultra Blye, Stable Grey, Casablanca White and Irish Cream.

Engine & Specs

Powering the Bada Dost is a 1.5 liter, 3 cylinder BS6 diesel engine which is rated to deliver 80 hp at 3,300 rpm and 190 Nm at 1,600-2,400 rpm. Transmission is taken care by a 5 speed MT. All variants get disc brakes in the front and drum brakes at the rear. Suspension is also same for all variants – front gets overslung parabolic while rear gets overslung semi-elliptic. Top speed is 80 kmph for all variants.

It is the dimensions where the two variants of Bada Dost differ. Both have same wheelbase of 2,590mm. Length x Width x Height of i3 stands at 4935 x 1842 x 2037 mm. The same for i4 is 5025 x 1842 x 2061 mm. This means that the i4 is longer by 90mm and taller by 24mm.

Speaking about load body dimensions for the i3 Bada Dost, it stands at 2860 x 1750 x 441 mm or 9ft 5in x 5ft 9in x 1ft 5in. The same for the larger i4 variant is – 2951 x 1750 x 490 mm or 9ft 8in x 5ft 9in x 1ft 7in. Loading platform ht for i3 is 920 mm (3 Feet) and the same for i4 is 945 mm (3.1 Feet).

Tyre rating / size for the bigger i4 variant is 7.00 R15 LT –12PR (Tube type) while that for the smaller variant is 215/75 R15 LT (Tubeless). Fuel tank for Bada Dost i3 is 40 liters and i4 is 50 liters. Warranty stands at 3 years of 1 lakh kms.