Italian motorcycle maker MV Agusta has been riding down a rough road so far this year. Not only did it temporarily lose it license to sell bikes in California, rumors have kept popping up about it being sold to a couple of automakers. Fiat was reportedly considering the business for a possible purchase in March.
The latest report of automaker interest in the motorcycle maker comes from Reuters, citing a German business newspaper that claims the automotive giant Daimler is approaching MV Agusta over the possibility of buying a minority stake. However, it's hardly the automaker's first flirtation with two wheels. Daimler was reportedly among the bidders to buy Ducati in 2012 before Audi scooped it up.
Perhaps the second time is the charm for Daimler when it comes to bikes. Like Ducati, MV Agusta is a famous name in European motorcycle racing but would likely be much cheaper to buy. Whereas Audi paid $1.1 billion for Ducati, Harley-Davidson only needed $109 million to nab MV Agusta in 2008, and $70 million of that was to pay off debt.
Even if the Daimler deal doesn't work out, MV Agusta seems to have a backup plan. According to Reuters, the bike maker may place 30 percent of its stock on the Italian stock exchange to provide a much-needed boost in cash flow.
The latest report of automaker interest in the motorcycle maker comes from Reuters, citing a German business newspaper that claims the automotive giant Daimler is approaching MV Agusta over the possibility of buying a minority stake. However, it's hardly the automaker's first flirtation with two wheels. Daimler was reportedly among the bidders to buy Ducati in 2012 before Audi scooped it up.
Perhaps the second time is the charm for Daimler when it comes to bikes. Like Ducati, MV Agusta is a famous name in European motorcycle racing but would likely be much cheaper to buy. Whereas Audi paid $1.1 billion for Ducati, Harley-Davidson only needed $109 million to nab MV Agusta in 2008, and $70 million of that was to pay off debt.
Even if the Daimler deal doesn't work out, MV Agusta seems to have a backup plan. According to Reuters, the bike maker may place 30 percent of its stock on the Italian stock exchange to provide a much-needed boost in cash flow.
Featured Gallery MV Agusta F3 800 Ago
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