BMW sells Husqvarna
By TMX Archives on 31st Jan 13
German giant BMW has sold its Italian-based Husqvarna factory and brand to KTM's current Chief Executive Officer, Stefan Pierer's company Pierer Industrie AG. Note that this is NOT KTM buying Husqvarna BMW has sold Husky to Pierer totally independently of KTM.
The heavily rumoured news of a change in ownership of Husqvarna was broken by BMW in an official statement this afternoon (Thursday, January 31).
This has of course immediately started rumours that Peirer will quit the Austrian dirt bike giant – which is partly owned by Indian giant Bajaj – to plough his own furrow once again in the dirt bike market with a ready built and recognised brand.
BMW bought Husqvarna less than five years ago in a move that was seen by the sport's insiders as getting a kick in at Austrian rivals KTM who were moving out of their core dirt-bike market into traditional BMW road bike territory. BMW has sunk millions of euros into Husqvarna but it has come nowhere near to rivalling KTM in an off-road market which has struggled in recent years.
It is expected that Husqvarna's off-road range will be relaunched later this year – probably at the big EICMA European Show.
More on this story as it unfolds...
