"Forward alone, MV Agusta has never been as strong as it is now."

"If we look at history, this brand has been through hell several times. Yet it's still here, demonstrating a remarkable ability to survive, in perfect shape to start again."

Timur Sardarov believes in it. After investing just under €200 million in MV Agusta, saving it from bankruptcy, the entrepreneur once again finds himself alone in control, with 100% of the shares held through Art of Mobility after acquiring 50.1% from KTM. The Austrian two-wheeler giant, which was on the verge of bankruptcy, was forced to sell. This farewell ends the partnership with one of the industry's leading players (€1.9 billion in revenue, after a 29.4% drop in 2024), which was expected to definitively relaunch the historic Italian brand after years of difficulty.

"Looking at the results of the collaboration, there has certainly been a positive impact on best practices in terms of quality, ICT, and manufacturing," Sardarov explains, "but I must say that the expectations for synergies were higher and were not realized, for example in the supply chain. In our comparison with the Austrians, we also saw that MV Agusta is efficient in design, engineering, and assembly: we are able to make better-looking motorcycles, more quickly and cost-effectively. From this perspective, the partnership has not added value."

What is destined to remain, however, is the new sales network, one of the main objectives set at the time of the agreement. "KTM's contribution has been decisive here," the entrepreneur explains, "and now we have a completely new network of 220 dealers, solid and financially stable, with completely revised contracts." This is the foundation upon which production will be relaunched, having been partially halted in 2025 to allow KTM to clear out previously accumulated inventory. "We've stopped production at 4,000 units, and this was part of the agreement, even though we were planning to close in March, but instead it happened now. In any case, we're not far from the break-even point, which is achievable at between 4,000 and 5,000 bikes. Already this year, with €80 million in revenue, the budget calls for a positive EBITDA and overall breakeven. And next year, profits will be higher."

This optimism is not to be taken for granted given the tribulations experienced by the brand, which went from the glories of continuous sporting victories (the company's icon is the multiple champion Giacomo Agostini) to a downward spiral that has never been interrupted by the long series of investors who over time have appeared on the shores of Lake Varese, the company's headquarters: first the Malaysian company Proton, then Harley Davidson, AMG Mercedes and finally KTM.