INTERVIEW
MV AGUSTA PRESIDENT AND CEO GIOVANNI CASTIGLIONI: PART 1
P86
and to fund investment in new
models and improved produc-
tion facilities, in October 2009
Harley announced its intention
to dispose of MV Agusta at the
same time as it shut down its
Buell subsidiary. Harley ended
up selling MV Agusta back to the
Castiglioni family for a nominal
three Euro, or four bucks, and
actually paid them to take it
off their hands by putting $26
million in an escrow account
to provide the Italian company
with operating capital for the
next year. Harley's 16 months of
MV Agusta ownership is widely
believed to have cost the Mo-
tor Company upwards of $250
million.
"IN 2014 MV AGUSTA WAS BURNING CASH INVESTING
IN R&D, BUT I KNEW THAT OTHERWISE OUR PROFIT AND
LOSS ACCOUNT WAS VERY POSITIVE. IF OUR COMPANY
WOULD HAVE BEEN A PRODUCER OF CHAIRS OR
KNITWEAR IT WOULD HAVE BEEN HIGHLY PROFITABLE."
Giovanni Castiglioni took
over the reins of the company
in August 2010, since then he's
worked tirelessly and seemingly
astutely in restoring MV to what
many see as its proper place as
the Ferrari of motorcycles—start-
ing with the introduction to the
marketplace of the three-cylinder
675cc F3 and Brutale, which
his father had played such a key
role in creating, and the subse-
quent range of 800cc spinoff
models. This in turn has yielded
a series of ultra-distinctive bikes
like the Brutale, Rivale, Stradale,
Dragster and Turismo Veloce,
all powered by the acclaimed
800cc version of MV's three-
cylinder motor, as the buoyant
brand's sales have ramped up
spectacularly. And in 2014 MV
Agusta finally returned to the
racetrack with its own factory
race team, with French rider
Jules Cluzel spearheading an
assault on the World Supersport
Championship on his MV Agusta
(Above) Father
and son - the
Castiglioni's are a
proud family and
father Claudio's
legacy remains with
the company.
(Right) MV's return
to the race track
has seen them take
on World SBK with
Leon Camier, but
not yielded any
victories.
