MV Agusta, the iconic Italian performance motorcycle brand, plans to launch 350cc twin-cylinder motorcycles in global markets soon. The CEO of MV Agusta, Timur Sardarov, shares that by making lower-capacity motorcycles, the brand will still remain a premium choice, but accessible to a wider audience.
The company targets markets where small-displacement motorcycles play a significant role. Examples for such markets include India as well, but it is too early to confirm if the company is interested in bringing the 350cc products here. MV Agusta motorcycles are currently sold through Motoroyale-Kinetic — a chain of multi-brand premium motorcycle dealerships which also deals with Norton, FB Mondial, SWM and Hyosung products.
Regarding the 350cc MV Agusta, nothing much is known about its specifications or layout (parallel or ‘V’). However, considering the size, a parallel-twin setup would be the ideal choice. R Sardarov also shared that the 350cc motorcycles will carry a price tag in the range of €6,000 to €7,000 (Rs 4.75 lakh to 5.55 lakh; before taxes).
Rumours suggest that the motorcycles will be available in multiple formats such as adventure, cruiser or naked sports. The focus would be more towards “daily usability” rather than being a mass-seller. This is no surprise since MV Agusta models have always been about their exclusivity factor rather than benchmark performance or riding capabilities. The brand targets a niche and loyal audience.
The 350cc MV Agusta models will still remain a rather ‘less-obvious’ motorcycle choice even though the company plans to expand its production capacity to 25,000 motorcycles a year with it, in around five years’ time. A launch timeframe is not available yet, but we expect it to be officially unveiled at EICMA 2020.
Currently, MV Agusta sells 10 motorcycles in the country through Motoroyale showrooms: Brutale 800, F3 800, Dragster 800 RR, Brutale 800 RR, Turismo Veloce 800, Brutale 1090, Brutale 1090 RR, F4, F4 RR and F4 RC. Prices start at around Rs 15.6 lakh and cross Rs 50 lakh for the track-bred top-of-the-line F4 RC.
One can argue that there are better and affordable alternatives to the likes of an MV Agusta product and to an extent, this is true. However, the iconic Italian motorcycle design and the uniqueness offered by the company are tough to rival. The upcoming 350cc MV Agusta motorcycles will surely open doors to a broader market and would be a desirable (but not ideal) choice for under Rs 10 lakh (if they come to India).
