MV Agusta’s Giovanni Castiglioni Interview

Last week, Ultimate MotorCycling’s International Corespondent Tor Sagen was at the launch of MV Agusta’s newest triple, the F3 800, at the Misano circuit in Italy.

Before the journalists were let loose on the 798cc Triple, Sagen sat down with MV Agusta’s CEO, Giovanni Castiglioni, to get some insider info on the new sportbike.

Following is the interview; for a full review of the 2014 MV Agusta F3 800, click here.

Exclusive Giovanni Castiglioni (MV Agusta CEO) interview with Tor Sagen:

T.S.: This is the second triple with the 800 cc triple and shortly we’ll have the Rivale 800 as well, is the line-up complete now?

G.C.: Yes exactly with the F3 800 we completed the sport segment of our 3-cylinder platform and we will start production of the Rivale soon in October and that’s the next step.

T.S.: You’ve got two 675 models and two 800’s which soon will increase to three with the Rivale. Is it complete?

G.C.: No not really, at the Milan show we will introduce two new models in two different categories and we are looking forward to that.

T.S.: It was fantastic to hear you are doing so well in the press conference yesterday. Can MV Agusta keep this trend going?

G.C.: Yes absolutely, we grew about 80 percent from 2011-2012 and YTD in May we did about 30-percent increase so we think that we can keep about 20-percent average increase in the next years with the new models and in the investment in the network we will make so we are very positive on that.

T.S.: We’ve seen the triple range, is it the triple range which is the cause of the big success?

G.C. Now for sure but in our plan we will continue our investments in both the 3 and 4 cylinder platforms. Its two different clients and two different segments in the market so we will keep going in both.

T.S.: Which is your personal favorite in the triple range?

G.C.: My personal favorite is the F3 800 because I like sportbikes and with the 800 you can get the feeling of a supersport 1000cc bike but with easier riding, a lightweight bike but still with good torque and power so a really complete bike, both for the track and the street.

T.S.: Will you drive your very nice Porsche back to Varese today?

G.C.: I don’t know because I’ve been forced to do 10 laps on the Misano racetrack and I think I have finished my brakes.

T.S.: Otherwise we would have done a race, Porsche vs. F3 800?

G.C.: Next time, for sure.

Following is from Giovanni Castiglioni’s speech during the official launch of the MV Agusta F3 800:

G.C.: This is a project that we started from the beginning so when we first developed the F3 3-cylinder platform it was developed both in the 675 and the 800 capacity. We decided for market reasons to launch the 675 first although we believe the 800 version is the perfect match for our bike.

We did a great improvement over the past two years and the company did plus 81 percent last year and 27 percent so far this year with a market that is decreasing.

About 20 percent of our production goes to Italy and we are going counter trend to the market at the moment. In the naked and sport segment above 575cc we have gone from 519 in 2012 to 918 year to date (Ducati from 2026 to 1231 and MV has already surpassed both BMW and Triumph in this segment).

We don’t do self registration so this is a true number and a great achievement for us. A company that four years ago was a niche company in luxury goods, we are now playing with all the main competitors. In four years we have quadrupled our sales from 2,000 to 8,000 bikes and next year we believe we will see 10,000 bikes.

We think that we have a great potential to increase our sales, we are doing our best in terms of product. We think that we made a complete package for both track and street.

It’s not only for the middle segment but also for 1000cc clients that would like something that doesn’t have 200 horsepower which sometimes today is pure nonsense.

Enjoy the bike.