Rennie Scaysbrook | January 23, 2017
MV Agusta has endured a tumultuous time in North America but that’s all about to change with the appointment of a new distributor in Australian concern, Urban Moto Group.
Elasmar (right) with MV Agusta CEO, Giovanni Castiglioni. After strong success with MV Agusta in his native Australia, Elasmar now has his sights set on the North American market.
Headed by Victorian Joseph Elasmar, Urban Moto Group has been responsible for the importation and distributorship in the Australian market for such brands MV Agusta, Bimota, EBR, Confederate, Royal Enfield and Benelli, and we sat down with Elasmar to hear about his plans for MV Agusta’s rebirth into the North American market.
CN: You’ve been the Australian MV importer since 2014, how did the North American deal come about?
JE: I have been planning to enter the U.S. market for quite some time. I actually spent a bit of time there in 2013 and set up a U.S. company, arranged staff, warehousing, etc, but due to a change in family circumstances I had to delay the launch plan. So, it has always been part of the overall plan for me and here we are at the start of 2017 after almost a year of discussion, planning, persistence and proven results in other markets, Urban Motor Group has officially acquired the MV Agusta USA LLC.
There is a clear need for the USA to be the key market for MV Agusta and in order to achieve this it requires a strong, focused team to take it to the level it deserves. The factory has a clear focus on building super premium motorcycles that are superior in technology and design whilst maintaining the hand-built in Italy approach, which is where we see the competitive edge for those looking for something more in a motorcycle.
We have a clear understanding on what needs to be done in terms of bringing products of distinction to market with a focus on strengthening dealer network, further improving aftersales service and offering a unique customer experience which is our key objective for USA. In saying this, the factory has recognized our ability in this area and is now focused on supporting us to deliver just that.
Undeniably sexy but troubled: MV’s has a rough time of it in North America but there’s light at the end of the tunnel.
With the new flagship stores that have been opened like MV Agusta Parramatta and Moto Tecnica, is this something you will be looking at for the American/Canadian market?
Most definitely—we see the potential for flagship stores and are currently considering some opportunities in this area. In offering this type of store, we are able to offer a focused approach to the brand and its customers, allowing us to further provide a top level ownership experience for those that purchase our products but also for those that are passionate about all that is motorsport. Being able to walk into a store that is staffed by passionate people who know and appreciate the brand, it’s history and impact it has had on motorcycling, is vital.
Will you be servicing Mexico as well?
We have no plans to service Mexico.
When is the deal scheduled to start and have you got dealers lined up out here?
We are in the transition phase now but technically, we have begun. At the moment, there are several new dealership requests for the brand across the U.S. and Canada which are being evaluated. Some of these are proposals for new showrooms but our immediate focus is to review and strengthen the existing dealer network whilst also rolling out new service and product training programs so dealers are well informed on all that relates to MV. This includes the new and revised 2017 range, allowing them to best serve the current and future customer base.
Have you established any targets yet regarding sales figures for MV USA?
Yes, there are specific sales targets in place, although these are not reflective of what we are aiming to achieve overall as it involves much more than just sales in the first instance. If we get the network and customer experience right, the sales and growth will naturally follow. I am confident in this for the future, based on the fact that more new models are currently about to go to market and there are more in the pipeline. This is a result of over 80 million Euros being already invested over the past few years in R&D at CRC with around 40 staff currently employed in this department. We are seeing many updates and some new models about to be released to market, which includes the updated 2017 range and Euro 4 platforms.
