MV Agusta Announces New Four-Cylinder for 2018

After revisions done to the F3 made it Euro4-compliant, MV opts to introduce a brand new 4-cylinder platform instead of tweaking its existing 4-banger.

By: Tim Huber

Dec 19, 2017 at 4:03pm ET

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Fresh on the heels of MV Agusta regaining some of the capital held by Mercedes AMG, the Italian sport bike manufacturer confirms plans to introduce an all-new four-cylinder platform for the 2018. Though MV’s existing four-cylinder platform could be updated to meet strict Euro4 emissions regulations, there are several reasons why the introduction of an entirely new powerplant makes much more sense.

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As MV’s WSBK team has demonstrated, the current F4 racer has been pushed to its performance limits. This makes the development of a new inline-four a much more productive endeavor, and building a new platform within the Euro4 guidelines should yield more fruitful results than a revision of the existing engine. MV Agusta CEO Giovanni Castiglioni has already revealed that the company plans to unveil a new 1,200cc Brutale, and a new four-cylinder Brutale might be the first bike released with the new powerplant. MV very well may also offer a four-barrel Dragster RR, and the possibility of a four-cylinder Turismo Veloce or Rivale isn’t that far-fetched either.

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With MV Holding now owning 100 percent of MV Agusta Motor S.p.A., the decision to develop a new four-cylinder engine is seemingly part of an effort to, according to a company press release, “rationalize its product pipeline and consolidate its positioning in the market”. The new engine is clearly an investment in the company’s future, a future that until just a short while ago was looking iffy at best. Will a new four-cylinder mill help MV Agusta's future prospects? It's hard to say, but at least it's a step in the right direction.