MV Agusta's expansion plans
The company has announced a new four-cylinder powerplant is on the way, as it looks to grow its range to 19 bikes by 2018MV Agusta plans to release 11 new models over the next three years (2016-18), with a brand spankers four-cylinder engine from the Italian company set to form the backbone of the massive expansion.
The company outlined its vision at the recent international media launch for the Turismo Veloce sportstourer in France, with four new models set to be launched next year, followed by the same number in 2017 and three in 2018.
The four-cylinder engine should break cover early next year, with a modular focus like the three-cylinder powerplant which has been used across a number of platforms, from supersport (F3 675) to crossover (Rivale), naked (Brutale) and now the Turismo Veloce in sportstourer guise.
The implication is clear: MV Agusta continues to assiduously work away at shedding the perception of being just a manufacturer of thoroughbred sportsbikes, much like Ducati has done with its increasingly wider product portfolio. The world has moved on and so has MV Agusta, which is 25 percent owned by Daimler AMG.
The 19-model range by 2018 is the key growth pillar of current MV Agusta boss Giovanni Castiglioni, and he also wants to strengthen and extend the sales and distribution network worldwide. Australia is obviously a part of that, and it's only just paired with the Melbourne-based Urban Moto Imports in 2015 after the demise of the previous importer at the end of last year.
The focus on enhancing distribution is already paying dividends, with global sales smashing the corresponding results in 2014 by a whopping 85 percent. It's growth like this that Giovanni hopes will help to achieve his third pillar: for the company to become a household name again, much like it was when Giacomo Agostini was dominating grand prix racing in the 1960s and 1970s.
MV is still racing with a factory presence in world superbike (Leon Camier) and world supersport (Jules Cluzel), but at the retail level plans are afoot to develop a global marketing strategy with improved corporate showrooms. It will also begin marketing at blue-chip events like the French Open tennis, Cannes Film Festival and Champions League soccer.
The company which started from such humble beginnings is still hanging in there. The next three years are will be a real test of mettle, but there's no doubt it's on the right track. With more dealers and a stronger presence, MV has everything in place to reach its target of selling 20,000 units a year by 2018.
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