Massimo Tamburini leaves MV Agusta
Personally embodying the quintessence of Italian design, Massimo Tamburini has yet decided to leave his favorite brand at the end of the year. Would Harley-Davidson’s presence in the group have ended more than 35 years of inspiration? ?
"Design chief Massimo Tamburini to retire from the company on December 31, 2008", announces MV Agusta in a press release which has already ignited the powder.
The "Michelangelo" of two-wheelers therefore abandons MV Agusta after 23 years in the Cagiva group – thirteen of them at the head of Centro Ricerche Cagiva – where he designed and developed what some agree to recognize as being the most beautiful motorcycles in the world: first the Ducati 916 – Cagiva then being the owner of the Bologna brand – and especially the magnificent MV Agusta F4, that the brilliant creator will then decline in roadster with the Brutale.
Founder of Bimota in 1965 with Valerio Bianchi and Giuseppe Morri, Massimo Tamburini very early on developed an extraordinary talent for the design and production of motorcycles that were both beautiful and sporty. The first machine was released in 1973, then the Italian immersed himself completely in this universe which fascinated him so much: the GP 500. He then joined the Cagiva group in 1985 and became the master builder of the unloved Ducati Paso – in tribute to the pilot Renzo Pasolini -, which shocks the purists because of its particularly innovative aesthetic.
Then comes the 916, whose lines recently inspired the 1098 and 1198, then the F4 750 for which the designer will have free rein, from the drawing board to the prototype unveiled at the Milan Motor Show in 1997. A real aesthetic revelation which overwhelms the journalists present, literally captivated by the bewitching beauty and the – almost sickly – concern for the detail of this in-line four-cylinder, equipped with a sculptural quadruple exhaust outlet.
For ten years, the incredible concept continues to fascinate and seduce without taking a wrinkle. Simply by increasing its displacement to 1000 cc, then by being available in series all more luxurious and limited than the others (including the Oro, the SPR, the Agostini, and the Tamburini), to finally switch to a displacement of 1078 cc, resulting in the extremely rare and mind-blowing 198 hp F4 CC, produced as a tribute to MV Agusta’s manager, Claudio Castiglioni, and sold for a whopping € 100,000 !
Perfectionism and elevating the creation of a motorcycle to the level of art, Massimo Tamburini is also a man full of passion and uncompromising who has dedicated all his talent and enthusiasm to motorcycles and for whom every aspect of a two-wheeler is must be both beautiful and functional.
"I have devoted a significant part of my career to designing motorcycles for Cagiva and MV Agusta"said Massimo Tamburini yesterday."I am extremely proud of the beauty and the passion of the motorcycles we have created. Although my decision was extremely difficult, I have no doubts that the talented designers and engineers of San Marino will continue to carry on MV Agusta’s tradition of excellence. I have had the privilege of making so many dreams come true during my years with Cagiva and MV Agusta and I look forward to seeing the next great achievements of the company.", ends maliciously? – this striking character.
Because if the manager of MV Agusta pays him a heartfelt tribute – "he is one of the legends of the motorcycle industry", believes Claudio Castiglioni -, many are those who see in this departure an epidermal reaction of the designer to the recent takeover of the brand by Harley-Davidson (read). Pure speculation on which Tamburini did not wish to s ” express, arguing that he planned to continue his activities in areas other than motorcycles and devote more time to his other interests…
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