KTM Group’s Financial Annual Report disclosed important news about KTM and Husqvarna goals and strategies.
A new 2 cylinder platform and Vitpilen's arrival in 2017.
Not a "rumor has it" start this time.
Our source is more than a trusted source: is KTM.
KTM Group just published its Financial Annual Report (yeah, that boring “investors relations” stuff). But they filled it adding some interesting information about product planning relevant to their two brands KTM and Husqvarna.
The Austrian and the Swedish brand will deliver different products with the economic benefits of sharing common platforms and components. We could say they'll be fraternal twins. Not identical twins.
Our source is more than a trusted source: is KTM.
KTM Group just published its Financial Annual Report (yeah, that boring “investors relations” stuff). But they filled it adding some interesting information about product planning relevant to their two brands KTM and Husqvarna.
The Austrian and the Swedish brand will deliver different products with the economic benefits of sharing common platforms and components. We could say they'll be fraternal twins. Not identical twins.
By the way "twin" is the first important news we're going to report:
"Development of a new motorcycle platform based on a revolutionary 2-cylinder engine design, which will make a substantial contribution toward opening up new market segments."
Motor News World showed a KTM mule featuring this 2-cylinder engine.
What we know is that is a parallel twin with a displacement near the 800cc range. There is no clue about why is "revolutionary" (it should feature a V-twin alike behavior, but still isn't a V-twin).
The point is that the design of this engine will make possible to suit different kind of motorbikes in new market segments.
"Development of a new motorcycle platform based on a revolutionary 2-cylinder engine design, which will make a substantial contribution toward opening up new market segments."
Motor News World showed a KTM mule featuring this 2-cylinder engine.
What we know is that is a parallel twin with a displacement near the 800cc range. There is no clue about why is "revolutionary" (it should feature a V-twin alike behavior, but still isn't a V-twin).
The point is that the design of this engine will make possible to suit different kind of motorbikes in new market segments.
The Husqvarna Vitpilen is the other important news KTM Group disclosed in their Annual Report:
“For 2017 the next step will be realized with the arrival of the first two Vitpilen production models.”
So at the beginning the Vitpilen models will be two, and they will be the first. Other will arrive.
The report confirms the future arrival of the Svartpilen model also, planning to make Husqvarna become the European 3rd manufacturer by 2020. "The upcoming segment-redefining Vitpilen and Svartpilen production models will set Husqvarna Motorcycles on a blazing trajectory to become Europe’s third-largest motorcycle producer – with the aim of doing so by 2020.”
“For 2017 the next step will be realized with the arrival of the first two Vitpilen production models.”
So at the beginning the Vitpilen models will be two, and they will be the first. Other will arrive.
The report confirms the future arrival of the Svartpilen model also, planning to make Husqvarna become the European 3rd manufacturer by 2020. "The upcoming segment-redefining Vitpilen and Svartpilen production models will set Husqvarna Motorcycles on a blazing trajectory to become Europe’s third-largest motorcycle producer – with the aim of doing so by 2020.”
In all fairness, we'd like to see an Husqvarna Vitpilen 800. They should blend the parallel twin powertrain with the style of the Vipilen 701 that we admired in EICMA 2015 last fall.
But KTM could choose to use the new platform for first (for the Duke and a smaller Adventure) and let it available to their sister company Husqvarna later on. The time will tell, but their growth goal is relevant.
But KTM could choose to use the new platform for first (for the Duke and a smaller Adventure) and let it available to their sister company Husqvarna later on. The time will tell, but their growth goal is relevant.
