MV Agusta updates line-up for 2002

MV Agusta has announced changes to its 2002 line-up amid strong suggestions that Italian scooter giant Piaggio is about to increase its 20 per cent holding in the firm to 100 per cent.

And that’s likely to be just the cash boost the firm needs to finish development work on the long-awaited 1000cc version of the F4, the F5 superbike.

Meanwhile MV is ploughing on with a range of updates to its current range. The stock MV Agusta F4S has received a power hike thanks to engine updates inherited from the yet-to-be-produced exclusive SPR version.

Buyers of the stock £11,000 MV will now get 135bhp rather than the 127bhp motor of the current bike, thanks to a series of detail changes to the internals and a new fuel-injection program.

The £18,000 SPR, originally expected to go into production this year, has been delayed until 2002, but as a consolation, the power goes up from a claimed 140bhp to 145bhp.

On top of all that, MV has revealed a surprisingly low price for the new Brutale S – the full-production version of the limited-edition naked Brutale launched last year. While potential buyers were expecting to pay around the same as the F4’s £11,000, the factory now expects to have the bike on sale for around £9000. Like the F4S, it also gets a power hike from 127bhp to 135bhp.

If Piaggio goes ahead and takes a full stake in MV, production is expected to start in early 2002, as the larger firm’s cash input will help MV get around parts supply problems that have plagued production this year. Indeed, even the 20 per cent holding is making a difference. MV’s Martin Bianchi said: ” It’s very good for us. The production lines are getting up and running again, and we have been able to improve out models. ”

The final decision on Piaggio’s 100 per cent take over of MV will be made at the end of October.