Mercedes-AMG and MV Agusta have signed a cooperation agreement on a long-term partnership. Collaboration between the two brands will primarily include the area of marketing and sales.

At the same time, the German carmaker will acquire a 25% interest in the Italian motorcycle manufacturer. No details have been disclosed as yet of the exact price to be paid by Daimler. Mercedes-AMG says it will also appoint one member of MV Agusta’s board of directors.

“The positioning of Mercedes-AMG as the performance brand in the Mercedes-Benz product portfolio will be further strengthened through the strategic partnership with MV Agusta,” said Wilko Stark, a senior product strategist at Daimler.

He added: “The strategic cooperation with MV Agusta will allow us to address high-performance enthusiasts with automobiles and with motorcycles. Through the cooperation in the area of marketing and sales, we will be able to attract new target groups for both companies all over the world.”

The move by the Stuttgart-based automaker mirrors a similar move by rival Volkswagen, which bought Ducati for 860 million euros back in 2012.

For MV Agusta, meanwhile, the partnership with Mercedes-AMG is expected to further accelerate its growth, which has been at a double-digit rate for the past five years. The continuing extension of its motorcycle range will be announced at the forthcoming EICMA international motorcycle fair in Milan.

Source: Mercedes-Benz

Tags: Daimler, Mercedes Benz, Mercedes-AMG, MV Agusta