Guzzis aren’t for everyone, and Guzzisti are quite okay with that fact. While Moto Guzzi recognizes the dedication of Guzzi devotees, it also recognizes that it needs to grow the brand.
Moto Guzzi USA, the North American importer of the Moto Guzzi brand, has announced a new “micro” site for Guzzis. The site, www.motoguzzioriginals.com, is part eye candy (actually, it’s very eye candy), part history, part marketing tool.
Increased scooter sales offset a drop in motorcycle sales, but both segments reported increases in net sales for the Piaggio Group in the first quarter of 2012.
According to Piaggio‘s first quarter report, the Group sold 9,400 motorcycles worldwide, down 8.2% from the 10,300 units sold in the same quarter last year. Scooter sales however saw a 7.9% increase to 79,200 units from 73,400 units. The Piaggio Group’s two-wheeled vehicle brands include Aprilia, Moto Guzzi, and Vespa, as well as Derbi, Gilero and Scarabeo.
Despite the drop in units sold, net sales from motorcycles actually increased 10.4% to 44.4 million euros (US$57.7 million) from 40.2 million euros. Net sales from scooters also increased by 8.4% to 154.0 million euros (US$200.3 million) from the 142.0 million euros reported in the first quarter of 2011. Moto Guzzi in particular had a good first quarter with revenues increasing more than 50%. Continue Reading »
Harley-Davidson dealerships topped the rankings for the 2012 edition of the Pied Piper Prospect Satisfaction Index, an industry benchmarking study examining how well dealerships treat customers, and turning shoppers into buyers.
The Pied Piper PSI rated different manufacturers’ dealerships in a number of categories to produce an overall score. The study was conducted between July 2011 and April 2012 with 1,653 anonymous “mystery shoppers” gathering information at different dealerships across the U.S.
The study gave Harley-Davidson dealers a score of 108, a four-point improvement from 2011 and five points above the industry average. According to researchers, Harley-Davidson dealers scored the highest of all brands in 16 different categories, including offering test rides, obtaining contact information and asking customers if for the sale. Continue Reading »
Motorcycle aficionado and owner of GP Motorcycles, a San Diego dealership specializing in European manufacturers, Paul Lima, suffered a paralyzing crash while riding an MX bike on April 4th. Following a 9-hour surgery to realign and stabilize his back, Paul is recovering well and undergoing rehabilitation. Paul has health coverage, but the costs not covered by insurance are mounting and the Lima family can use any help benevolent motorcyclists can afford.
A PayPal account has been setup to accept donations and you can follow his and the family’s progress on the their Facebook page.
Moto Guzzi presented its 2012 V7 featuring three models and the Piaggio-owned brand’s new 750cc V-Twin engine. The three models were previously introduced at the 2011 EICMA show as the V7, two-toned V7 Special and the shiny V7 Racer. Moto Guzzi has since given the matte V7 version a new name: the V7 Stone.
All three models use the same 750cc “small block” longitudinally-mounted V-Twin engine. Moto Guzzi says the engine is made of 70% new components with over 200 individual parts getting redesigned. Moto Guzzi claims an output of 50hp at 6200 rpm with a peak torque of 44 ft-lb. at just 2800 rpm.
Continue Reading »
Moto Guzzi released a video featuring Marco Lambri, director of Piaggio Group style, and Miguel Galluzzi, vice-president of design discussing the new Moto Guzzi California 1400 and Piaggios’s planned Advanced Design Center in Pasadena, Calif.
Galluzzi says the model displayed at Piaggio Group Americas’ dealer convention in Miami last week is just one variation for the California. Galluzzi says Moto Guzzi will release a full dressed touring version this autumn, with the single-seat version to follow, as well as at least one more.
“I think we were able to create something that is still appealing to many, many customers in the world but with the Italian flavor that Moto Guzzi has.” says Galluzzi. Continue Reading »
Piaggio announced it is opening a new design center in Pasadena, Calif., to be headed by Aprilia RSV4 designer Miguel Galluzzi.
Roberto Colaninno, chairman and chief executive officer of the Piaggio Group, announced plans for the new Advanced Design Center at a dealer convention for the Piaggio Group Americas in Miami, Fla. At the moment, North American customers usually have to wait a little longer before they receive new Piaggio models, with most models arriving on these shores months after they are available in Europe. Hopefully, the new design center will help new models arrive sooner.
The new design center will work closely with Piaggio’s main style center as well as research and development centers in Italy, China, India and Vietnam. This network forms part of what Piaggio calls an “intelligence globalization” policy. Continue Reading »
Piaggio confirmed it will introduce the new Aprilia Caponord 1200 and Moto Guzzi California 1400 to the U.S. market this fall.
The announcement was made at Piaggio Group Americas’ dealer convention in Miami, Fla. News of the Moto Guzzi California 1400 (pictured above) and the Aprilia Caponord first leaked from Piaggio’s European dealer meeting in February, but this announcement is the first official confirmation about either model from Piaggio.
The Moto Guzzi California 1400 replaces the current 1100 version, which is available this year in a limited edition version celebrating the 90th anniversary of Moto Guzzi. Unlike the air-cooled 1100, the new California 1400′s 90-degree V-Twin engine is liquid-cooled. Continue Reading »
The Piaggio Group reported a 9.8% increase in net income in 2011 thanks to rising demand for scooters and increased sales in Asia.
According to Piaggio‘s annual fiscal report, the Italian company made a profit of 47.0 million (US$62.6 million) in 2011, compared to a net profit of 42.8 million euros in 2010. Net sales reached 1.52 billion euros (US$2.02 billion) in 2011, a year-on-year increase of 2.1% from the 1.49 billion euros reported in 2010.
Motorcycle sales totaled 38,300 units, a 4.0% decrease from the 39,900 units sold in 2010. Scooter sales however increased 6.1% to 376,700 units from 355,100 units. Piaggio’s commercial vehicle division also saw a 2.1% increase to 238,300 units from 233,400 units.
The Piaggio Group revealed its business plans for the next three years with a focus on developing fuel efficient engines and introducing new electric motors and hybrid powertrains.
Beginning in 2012, Piaggio plans to introduce a new generation of engines with lower emissions and improved fuel economy.
Examples include the new 350cc engine introduced in the Piaggio Beverly SportTouring and the fuel-injected 125cc four-stroke, three-valve engine equipped in the Vespa Quarantasei concept (which the company has apparently, and quietly, renamed as the much easier-to-pronounce Vespa 946).
Moto Guzzi is also introducing a new 750cc 90-degree V-Twin engine in its 2012 V7, V7 Scrambler and V7 Racer. According to Piaggio, the new V7 engine pictured below, after the jump) offers a 10% increase in power output as well as improved torque and fuel economy and fewer emissions.
