BMW acquires Husqvarna
It's no secret that BMW is open to procuring more brands. With the company's purchase of Italian motorcycle maker Husqvarna, it's apparent that the roundel's expansive mood isn't limited to cars. BMW bikes, notable for their transverse heads, are larger bore bikes, with the smallest being 500cc. Last year the division crossed the 100K sales mark for the first time in its history.Husqvarna, which was part of the Italian MV Augusta motorcycle group but was actually a Swedish maker from 1903 to 1986, produces mostly single-cylinder off-road bikes from 125cc to 610cc. Husqvarna only sold 12,000 bikes last year, but owning it will give BMW a larger off-road range, and access to younger buyers focused on sports, competition, and supermoto. Instead of rebranding the bikes as BMWs, the German firm will continue to operate it as a separate unit, even keeping it located in Varese, Italy. Neither side revealed how much BMW paid, and the sale still awaits EU approval.
Thanks for the tip, Robert!
[Source: Daily Motorcycle News]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Bobby 2:18AM (6/26/2008)
It's a joke for Proton.
Proton bought Husqvarna for 73 Million Euros, sold it to GEVI Spa for 1 Euro and GEVI Spa sold Husqvarna to BMW for 93 Million Euros.
Duh~
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R? 7:08PM (7/20/2007)
Comming Soon: BMW chainsaws in a Home Hardware neer you.
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E.P. 7:32PM (7/20/2007)
Dang it, you beat me to the chainsaw joke!
psarhjinian 10:33PM (7/20/2007)
I was going to say sewing machines.
jg 7:10PM (7/20/2007)
Did Husgvana ever make hats?
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summazooma 9:04PM (7/20/2007)
At one point about 4 years ago, Proton had bought into MV Agusta, gaining rights to the brands MV Agusta, Husqvarna & Aprilia... and had announced plans to introduce GTs, SUVs & Sports Cars using these names
Guess that's over
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summazooma 9:12PM (7/20/2007)
OOOOOPS!!!
Cagiva, above,... NOT Aprilia
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summazooma 9:51PM (7/20/2007)
A couple of additional comments and, then, I'm going back to sleep...
Proton had sold it's 58% stake in MV Agusta Group to Gevi (an Italian investment firm) for 1-Euro in January 2006...
Now that BMW has bought one Swedish-brand (if only in name), do you think they'd consider another one (Volvo)?
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Guenther 9:12AM (7/21/2007)
Hm- buy Volvo.... that could lead to the return of RWD tanks, like the Swedes churned out back in the day :)
As for Husqvarna's other products, they have really nothing to do with the bikes. The mowers are good, but identical to many others. The saws are incredibly reliable, and you'd be hard pressed to find someone who will tell you that something else is better.
easyrider425 2:45PM (7/21/2007)
Give us a motorcycle blog please!!!!!!!!!!!
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Mulad 11:50PM (7/20/2007)
There's a Husqvarna that makes motorcycles? I've always associated that name with sewing machines, and was surprised enough to hear about the chainsaw company...
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Barney 2:14AM (7/21/2007)
All I use is Husqvarna chainsaws and have two. In my neck of the woods it's the most dependable and toughest chainsaw used. I hadn't even realised the newer saws were now made in Italy. Husgvarna makes brush saws to lawnmowers but believe the lawnmowers are only in name.
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Galley 6:21AM (7/21/2007)
Motorcycles? I thought all they made were lawn mowers.
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Tverez 6:41AM (7/21/2007)
Husqvarna is, and always was a swedish company.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Husqvarna
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Barney 10:47AM (7/21/2007)
I see it was only the bike division that ended up in Italy. Good post Tverez. For some reason it didn't seem right that those great saws were no longer made by the Swedes.
Atomicbri 7:45AM (7/21/2007)
Yeah Galley they make lawnmowers too! (Nice ones at that!)
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rgseidl 8:08AM (7/21/2007)
Electrolux bought Husqvarna in 1979 and sold off the motorcycle division in Varese, Italy to Cagiva Group in 1986.
http://www.husqvarna.it/_vti_g5_svilupi.aspx?rpstry=156_
So obviously BMW will be making neither chainsaws nor lawnmowers nor sewing machines.
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MH 1:38PM (7/21/2007)
Husqvarna is indeed, except for the motorcycles, still very much a Swedish company.
The rest of Husqvarna is still based in Sweden and was for many years part of Swedish multinational Electrolux Corp.
Nowadays it's once again operating as an independent company though still very much under the influence of Electrolux.
Husqvarna makes among other things chainsaws, lawn mowers as well as other motorized garden tools, they also manufacture, as someone pointed out, sewing machines and has done so for many years.
The brand name Husqvarna actually comes from the name of the small town in in the south of Sweden in which they are still based.
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bobby 9:28AM (7/22/2007)
BMW will acquire the renowned motorcycle company Husqvarna Motorcycles.
http://news.taume.com/World-Business/Business-Finance/BMW-Acquires-Husqvarna-Motorcycles-1954
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Drew 7:26PM (7/22/2007)
Autoblog, please check your spelling more carefully before posting. It's MV Agusta, not Augusta.
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