Mercedes buying into MV Agusta

Mercedes-AMG and MV Agusta announce cooperation

Cooperation agreement signed on long-term partnership
Mercedes-AMG to acquire 25% interest in MV Agusta
Cooperation in area of marketing and sales

The sports-car and performance brand Mercedes-AMG of the Daimler AG and the motorcycle manufacturer MV Agusta have signed a cooperation agreement on a long-term partnership. Cooperation between the two high-end brands with long traditions and histories will include the area of marketing and sales. At the same time, Mercedes-AMG GmbH will acquire a 25% interest in MV Agusta Motor S.p.A. No details have been disclosed of the price to be paid for the stake in MV Agusta Motor. Mercedes-AMG will appoint one member of MV Agusta’s board of directors. The partnership is still subject to the approval of the relevant authorities, which is expected to be granted in late November.

Tobias Moers, Chief Executive of Mercedes-AMG GmbH: “In MV Agusta, we have found the perfect two-wheel partner for Mercedes-AMG. This manufacturer with a long tradition and Mercedes-AMG are connected not only by a long and successful racing history, but also by shared values and goals for the future – allowing the experience of utmost perfection, optimal performance and motorsport technology for the road. The cooperation with MV Agusta also underscores the importance of AMG as the sports-car and high-performance brand of Mercedes-Benz Cars. The partnership provides us with an entry into a world of additional high-performance enthusiasts.”

Giovanni Castiglioni, President and CEO of MV Agusta Motor S.p.A., commented: “MV Agusta and Mercedes-AMG are a perfect brand fit: Two complementary companies that stand for design, high performance and excellence. Mercedes-AMG will help MV Agusta to further expand globally and to accelerate our growth. The uniqueness of MV Agusta will further enhance Mercedes-AMG’s leadership in the high-performance segment.”

Wilko Stark, Vice President Daimler Strategy & Mercedes-Benz Cars Product Strategy and Planning: “The positioning of Mercedes-AMG as the performance brand in the Mercedes-Benz product portfolio will be further strengthened through the strategic partnership with MV Agusta. The strategic cooperation with MV Agusta will allow us to address high-performance enthusiasts with automobiles and with motorcycles. Through the cooperation in the area of marketing and sales, we will be able to attract new target groups for both companies all over the world.”

As a 100% subsidiary of Daimler AG, Mercedes-AMG GmbH is the sports-car and performance brand of Mercedes-Benz Cars. The company was founded in 1967 by Hans Werner Aufrecht and Erhard Melcher, and built its reputation on the basis of great success in motorsport and a unique product portfolio. At present, the Affalterbach-based company employs approximately 1,200 people, of whom 700 are active in the area of development engineering. This reflects the company’s high technological standards and self-image: Mercedes-AMG automobiles are today renowned worldwide for high performance, perfection and precision, and are the benchmark in many areas. The company’s motorsport DNA is tangible in every model, and especially in the two sports cars completely developed in Affalterbach, the SLS and the recently unveiled Mercedes-AMG GT, which will further enhance the profile of the performance brand. In 2013, Mercedes-AMG achieved unit sales of 32,000 cars; by the middle of this year, a total of 23,000 AMG automobiles had been sold.

In the AMG engine factory in Affalterbach, highly qualified engine mechanics build the engines by hand according to the highest quality standards and the principle of “one man, one engine” – as witnessed by the AMG engine plate bearing the signature of the responsible mechanic. This exclusive craftsmanship fits exactly with the MV Agusta philosophy of raising the development and manufacturing of motorcycles to another level: “motorcycle art.”

MV Agusta Motor S.p.A., headquartered in Varese/Italy, was originally founded in 1945 by Domenico Agusta. The North Italian manufacturer attained international renown for its advanced technology and high performance, which helped to make it one of the most successful brands in the world of motorcycle racing. MV Agusta motorcycles represent dedication to the perfect balance of high performance and breathtaking Italian design. The company currently employs a workforce of approximately 260 employees at its headquarters located on the shore of Lago di Varese in Northern Italy, of whom 90 work in the area of research and development. MV Agusta’s product portfolio is based on two main platforms, comprising three- and four-cylinder models ranging from 675 to 1100 cc engine displacement and occupying the supersport, superbike, sports-naked and crossover segments. MV Agusta Motor S.p.A. is also the owner of Cagiva, a further renowned Italian historical motorcycle brand.

Through the sales-and-marketing partnership with Mercedes-AMG, the producer of high-performance motorcycles should further accelerate its growth, which has been at a double-digit rate for the past five years. The continuing extension of its motorcycle range will be announced at the forthcoming EICMA international motorcycle fair in Milan. MV Agusta will present new models in the sports-naked segment embodying the maximum expression of design and power – the Brutale 800 RR and the Dragster 800 RR. With the all new Stradale 800 and the all new Turismo Veloce 800 models, MV Agusta will continue its expansion by entering the touring market segment for the first time.