GUZZI’S REBORN
NEW FACTORY, NEW BIKES –
‘It looks set to give Guzzi an exciting future’
Moto Guzzi have big plans for the future as the Italian brand celebrate 100 years of building motorcycles. The firm have seized on the opportunity of the centenary to reveal not just an all-new, liquidcooled bike – the company’s first – but also plans to redevelop their historic factory and museum to create a modern production facility and a world-leading attraction. The company built their first bike in 1921, making them the oldest of Italy’s current manufacturers – Ducati date back to 1926, MV Agusta to 1945 while Aprilia (like Guzzi, now owned by the huge Piaggio concern) only built their first bike in 1970. The brand’s signature transverse V-twins also command a huge, loyal following akin to that of Harley-Davidson and boast famous fans such as Ewan McGregor and Johnny Borrell from the band Razorlight.
A week-long festival in Mandello, ‘Guzzi World Days’, was scheduled to take this month to celebrate the centenary but had to be cancelled due to the pandemic. Throughout those 100 years Guzzi have been based at the town of Mandello Del Lario on the picturesque banks of Lake Como. The sprawling, historic factory, includes a dusty museum housing landmark bikes such as Guzzi’s 1950s V8 racer and even has an antiquated wind tunnel. Although it still proves a draw for die-hard fans, it’s somewhat archaic.
Big changes ahead
Along with the unveiling of a revolutionary, all-new, liquidcooled bike (the V100, see right) Guzzi have just revealed an indepth vision for a long overdue complete redevelopment of the Mandello site. Designed by acclaimed
American Greg Lynn, named by Forbes magazine as one of the world’s top 10 most influential architects, the new facility will not only extend and modernise Moto Guzzi’s production capacity, it will also preserve historic features such as that classic wind tunnel.
The development will also include a new museum, conference facilities, restaurant, hotel and open public spaces. Guzzi want the state-of-the-art new factory to be a focal point for fans and a proper tourist destination.
The next 100 years
Unveiled along with the new V100 under the banner ‘Road to 2121: Moto Guzzi’s next 100 years’, owners Piaggio say the plan is to establish the Moto Guzzi brand as an example of modern design. New buildings will make use of the existing structures with materials chosen with close attention to efficient sustainability.
And the result, according to the renderings and models released so far, which links radically-shaped new structures with historic factory buildings and green spaces, looks set to offer Guzzi an exciting and prosperous future.
Guzzi plan to start building work by the end of 2021 and the new complex is scheduled to be completed in the first half of 2025.