Fans can mourn the passing of MV Agusta’s President Claudio Castiglioni in many ways, but we admit that Eugenio on his Brutale 910R has come up with a very fitting tribute in using one of Castiglioni’s famous phrases: There are a lot of beautiful motorcycles in the world, but MV Agusta is another thing.”

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Source | Motoblog.it

Just a few weeks have passed since Claudio Castiglioni passed away after a long battle with illness. He was one of the most iconic figures in the motorcycle industry, and his son Giovanni, who will have to follow in his father’s impressive footsteps, has taken pen to paper to thank everyone for their affection and to talk a little about who his father was.

Here’s the open letter:

I am writing you this letter to personally thank you for the outpouring of affection that you have demonstrated both towards my father and our family.

All of you have come to know Claudio, but I believe that I knew him more intimately than anybody else as he was more than a father to me, he was also my best friend, business partner, reference point and the person whom I could call on at anytime, day or night, to share both good and bad news.

Continue reading: Giovanni Castiglioni talks about his father Claudio

After losing a pillar of the company and family like Claudio Castiglioni, MV Agusta can well do without reports like these. According to unnamed sources quoted by A&R, MV Agusta is facing financial difficulties in finding new investment and credit, and paying upfront for its supplies. That apparently means that the MV Agusta F3 might not see its 2012 production debut.

Already in the pipeline for a long time, enthusiasts have been waiting for the F3 to go into production and hit the market; and even though it debuted last year as a 2012 model there was no real reason at that stage to think it wouldn’t eventually be produced. Since then, the company has taken the unusual initiative of releasing the highly exclusive and expensive MV Agusta F3 Serie Oro model first, rather than the standard version. Perhaps to drum up some cash to put the rest into production…?

A flawed reasoning if the cost of components is so high and there’s none left over for a standard model. It’s difficult to manufacture a bike if you’ve got no parts to do it with it, and it looks like MV Agusta’s ambition to become a higher volume manufacturer is in some deep water right now. Raising additional capital hasn’t happened, according to the sources, and apparently creditors and suppliers are wary of a regime that isn’t all that new.

A strategy like releasing an exclusive model off the back of expensive components is part of what got MV Agusta into losing money in the first place and proves that the company hasn’t achieved economies of scale. Apparently that will all mean that we might not be seeing the F3 in showrooms as of April 2012 because there isn’t anything to make it with and no money to purchase parts and kick off production. We’re going to be cautious in announcing the demise of MV Agusta already, and leave you to decide what a delayed F3 production might mean for the future of the company and the rest of its models.

As Italy and the international motorcycle industry prepare to farewell Claudio Castiglioni, here is our small gallery tribute to a legendary motorcycle figure with a series of just some of the creations Castiglioni has been credited for over the years. Below is the official statement from MV Agusta on Castiglioni’s death - which celebrates his life and career and one of the more incredible contributions to the motorcycle industry we’ll see in years to come.

Claudio Castiglioni, 64 years old and President of MV Agusta Motor S.p.A. passed away this morning in Varese,Italy after a courageous battle against an illness.

The man who personally elevated the Italian motorcycle industry to its current role as world leader and the businessman who excelled with MV Agusta, Cagiva, Ducati and Husqvarna brands has left us.

Continue reading: Claudio Castiglioni tribute galleries

Claudio Castiglioni 63, the President of MV Augusta Motor S.p.A passed away early this morning in a clinic in his beloved Varese.

The far seeing and charismatic Italian manager owner of Cagiva with his brother Giancarlo, helped create along some the most iconic motorcycle models in the world and helped re-launch both Ducati and MV Agusta, bringing the Made in Italy marques to new and exciting heights.

We leave you with Castiglioni’s most famous quote:

“Motorcycles make us dream. They have different colours, they have different sounds. They have shapes that sometimes show what inspired their designers. Sometimes these creations are real works of art that turn the designer into an artist.”

This ‘go back home’ comic piece from the guys at Motoblog show the patriotic sentiment many had when MV Agusta returned to Italian ownership recently. Harley-Davidson basically paid Claudio Castiglioni to take back his brand only two years after Castiglioni had sold it to the Americans. During the HD management of the company, MV Agusta released its 2010 Brutale 990r, the new Brutale 1090rr and the MV Agusta F4.

While the company now needs to continue development of the new F3 prototype (which we might see at the 2010 EICMA show), it certainly managed to cover its debts during the Harley-Davidson purchase, then being paid a second time to take it back with losses all round for the American company. For more on the history of Castiglioni and MV Agusta, check out the great little time line Hell for Leather put together.

It was in the air for sometime that Harley Davidson would be selling MV Augusta back to Claudio Castiglioni, just two years after the same Castiglioni sold the company to HD, and today the deal was finalized and the iconic motorcycle marque has now returned to Italian hands.

During the Harley-Davidson ownership, MV Agusta repaid its debts ($70 million) and received new equipment and the company released three new models, the 2010 Brutale 990R, the Brutale 1090RR, the F4, and were working on the new mid-size three cylinder F3 prototype.

Terms of the sale were not released but the ownership change is effective immediately. MV Agusta and Harley Davidson press releases after the jump.

Continue reading: Harley-Davidson finalizes sale of MV Agusta to Claudio Castiglioni

According to reports, MV Agusta could finally have some purchasers with Claudio Castiglioni and Federico Minoli registering their interest. Castiglioni has been working at MV Agusta since its rebirth and has kept the ship from sinking since Harley Davidson announced it wants to sell its Italian brand. Castiglioni’s is a name linked to the success of the company, along with Tamburini, as producing some of the great Agusta models.

Minoli is the ex-CEO of Ducati who headed operations in the early 2000’s. Together with Terblanche, he is associated with some of the more controversial models, including the Ducati 749, 999 and the Multistrada. While the future of MV Agusta is still uncertain, Castiglioni and Minoli have been credited with being the possible purchasers of the company.

Castiglioni is backed by Italy’s Intesa San Paolo bank and finance papers report that the company could finally come back to Italian ownership. Minoli resigned from Ducati back in 2007 and would now appear to have the backing of a private equity fund that could help with the reported 34 million euros required to buy MV Agusta (2009 valuation). Many Italian fans will be hoping the move comes off and they can go back to MV Agusta made in Italy.

Source | Motoblog.it

In what was possibly on the cards, the Italians could take back their beloved MV Agusta brand, after Harley Davidson announced the sale of MV Agusta and the production end of Buell. According to reports, MV Agusta is still preparing for an important EICMA show with some exciting new models, in an interview with Claudio Castiglioni from MV.

Castiglioni has revealed the strength of the MV Agusta brand, how well loved it its, but also its appeal beyond just the emotional. Saying that MV makes creative and wonderful bikes, Castiglioni has said: “It would be logical for an intiative to be set up, for an Italian entrepreneurial interest for the reacquisition of MV [to take place]. I need to think about it. I have to be sincere, I have suffered a lot for “my” bikes and I’m tired of suffering. I need to reflect.”

There will be many Italians out there hoping that one of their beloved brands will once again be “made in Italy” to all intents and purposes. It will only be revealed whether practical issues can support the nostalgia associated with a patriotic buy-back of MV Agusta.

Source | Motoblog.it

The reborn Cagiva brand looks like it will update its range with the “Schiranna”: the possible future name of the 1125 V2 superbike (the name comes from the town in which Claudio Castiglioni’s company was first founded).

Thanks to Harley Davidson ownership, Cagiva looks set to make a promising comeback in the motorcycle market, with MV-Agusta placed to be the more upmarket offering, and the “elefantino” or “little elefant” aimed at a more general clientele.

Future Cagivas shouldn’t feature more than two cylinder engines, although this doesn’t mean we’ll be seeing less power. The most eclectic motor is the V2 BRP-Rotax, on the Buell 1125, accredited with some super power at 140hp.

Continue reading: Cagiva 1125 V2 Schiranna by Oberdan Bezzi