MV Agusta

The company began as a branch of the Agusta aviation company that was founded by Count Giovanni Agusta in 1923. The Count died in 1927, leaving the company in the hands of his wife and children Domenico, Vincenzo, Mario and Corrado. Count Vincenzo Agusta together with his brother Domenico created MV Agusta (the initials MV mean Meccanica Verghera) at the end of World War II as a means of saving the jobs of the Agusta company and also with the aim of meeting the needs of the post-war market, which demanded cheap and efficient means of transport. They produced the first prototype that was called “Vespa 98” in 1945. They later discovered that Vespa’s name had already been registered by the Piaggio company for his Vespa scooter, so the model was renamed exclusively by the number “98”.

Cagiva acquired the registered trademark MV Agusta in 1991. In 1999 the Cagiva group was restructured for strategic reasons and MV Agusta became the main brand of the group of which Cagiva and Husqvarna were also part.

In 2004 the company was heavily indebted, and in December, it was sold for 70 million euros to the Malaysian car manufacturer Proton. However, in December 2005, Protón sold the company to the financial GEVI Spa, for the symbolic amount of € 1 in exchange for assuming its debts.

In July 2007, MV Agusta Motor S.p.A sells the Husqvarna brand to BMW for an undisclosed amount.

On July 11, 2008, Harley-Davidson announced that he had signed an agreement to acquire the MV Agusta group for 70 million euros. The purchase raised expectations that the company would take a new direction. The purchase concluded on August 8, 2008.

On August 6, 2010, Harley-Davidson sells MV Agusta to its former owner Claudio Castiglioni. It also announces the manufacture of a new 675cc three-cylinder model under the name of MV Agusta F3.