International Dealer News IDN 153 February/March 2020 | Page 16

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Mahindra takes 100% control of
Peugeot Motocycles
Mahindra Two Wheelers Europe, the
Indian owner of brands such BSA and
a division of the huge Mahindra &
Mahindra automotive conglomerate,
has converted its 51% ownership
stake in Peugeot Scooters into 100%
ownership effective October 2019.
Mahindra has agreed to acquire all
outstanding shares in scooter
manufacturer Peugeot Motocycles
(PMTC) from French automotive giant
Groupe PSA, parent of the Peugeot,
Citroen, Vauxhall and Opel car brands,
for an undisclosed sum - taking full
control of the business just as PSA
itself announced its merger with Fiat
Chrysler.
Based at Mandeure in France, PMTC
was founded in 1898 and claims to be
the world's oldest motorcycle
manufacturer. Most famously, a
Peugeot engine took Rembrandt
Fowler's Norton-badged machine to
victory at the first-ever Isle of Man TT
race in 1907.
Mahindra originally bought a majority
51% stake in PMTC during 2015 for
£24m. In addition to owning the
legendary BSA brand, Mahindra has
rights to use the Czech Jawa brand in
India. Mahindra will continue to
employ the Peugeot name on PMTC
products when assuming ownership of
the company through a trade licensing
agreement with PSA.
BDN reports that "PMTC was
unprofitable at the time of the 2015
partial takeover and has been bleeding
money ever since. Accumulated losses
reached £111m by the end of 2018,
when Mahindra Two Wheelers'
management "right-sized" the French
factory's workforce by making a fifth
of them redundant. Hopes for a
turnaround rest on a recent £10m
investment to develop a Peugeot
branded electric scooter, produced by
Mahindra in India for the European
market".
Mahindra Two Wheelers Europe and
the PMTC team unveiled a
"Performance 2020" plan in July
2018, backed by a "robust investment
plan" which includes the launch of
seven new products between 2019
and 2021.
Sales of Peugeot Metropolis
are strengthening in Europe
and China
Rajesh Jejurikar, President FES and
Two Wheelers and a member of the
Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. Group
Executive Board, is quoted as saying:
"We are seeing positive momentum at
Peugeot Motocycles. The Kisbee is
becoming the largest selling 50 cc
vehicle in Europe, the Peugeot
Metropolis getting stronger in Europe
and China, and the positive market
response to the launch of the new
Urban GT connected Pulsion all point
to a positive future. We fully support
PMTC's 'Performance 2020' and look
forward to the future with enhanced
optimism."
Jean-Philippe Imparato, Executive VP
for the Peugeot brand, said: "This
decision by the shareholders will
ensure that Peugeot Motocycles
benefits from the expertise of a
significant global player in the two-
wheeler industry. We at Peugeot will
maintain our commitment through our
utilisation of the Peugeot brand and
extend our support to design and
technological innovations."
The Peugeot brand will continue to be
used in the future by Mahindra under
the Trade License Agreement between
PMTC and Peugeot. In addition, the
Peugeot design teams will continue to
assist in the design and development
of PMTC products in close cooperation
with PMTC management and the
Mahindra Group.
S 1000 RR monocoque
carbon fibre subframe
One of the motorcycle
industry's leading carbon fibre
component manufacturers,
Slovenian manufacturer FullSix
offers everything from levers,
winglets and fuel tanks to
complete fairing kits, exhaust
heat shields and caliper cooler
sets.
The hero new product at the
company's EICMA booth was
this stunning, lightweight, high
strength carbon fibre
monocoque subframe for the
2019 BMW S 1000 RR.
FullSix carbon fibre monocoque
tail sections are structural
components used in
professional racing to reduce
weight. A replacement for stock
aluminium subframes, FullSix
Monocoque subframe
16
INTERNATIONAL DEALER NEWS - FEBRUARY/MARCH 2020
Carbon fibre belly pan
monocoque tail sections utilise
its proprietary Autoclave
Composite Monocoque (ACM)
technology to achieve a 75%
weight reduction.
A FullSix carbon fibre
monocoque tail section weighs
only 1.8 kg (3.9 lbs) compared
to 4.2 kg (9.3 lbs) for a stock
aluminium subframe. Fullsix
Carbon is the first company
producing a full carbon fibre
subframe for the BMW S 1000
RR, which is a plug & play install
design that can be used for
street or race use.
Also seen here for the S 1000
RR, this carbon fibre belly pan
replaces the OEM part and
"enhances both the visual
appearance and performance of
the motorcycle. The belly pan is
designed to fit both OEM and
full race exhausts with
headers".
All FullSix products are
available in 245 twill weave or
200 plain weave, and in a choice
of clear coat or matt finish.
www.fullsixcarbon.com
www.idnmag.com