Market reports – Jean-Luc Mars: Triumph is an independent company – Occasions TRIUMPH

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Jean-Luc Mars: Triumph is an independent company

Market reports - Jean-Luc Mars: Triumph is an independent company - Occasions TRIUMPH

With 5,886 registrations, Triumph posted an increase of 4.7% on the French motorcycle market. Jean-Luc Mars, General Manager Triumph France, establishes for Site the 2013 report of the English brand and reveals its 2014 objectives. Interview.

Site: What do you think of the general evolution of the French motorcycle market in 2013? ?
Jean-Luc Mars, Managing Director of Triumph France : The situation is serious, let’s face it. The market fell violently in 2013 after several years of decline … However, the charges weighing on SMEs, that is to say all motorcycle shops, continue to increase, whether the cost real estate or taxes of all kinds! I fear the situation will deteriorate further … and our entire industry is suffering and our passion is threatened. The long-awaited recovery does not seem to be around yet, unfortunately. I hope that our community will be able to fight to weather the storm. I remain convinced that the motorized two-wheeler is a formidable vector of mobility, freedom and passion..

MNC: What is your assessment of your year? ?
J.-L. M. : We are satisfied with our year 2013. With a 5% increase in our registrations, we have managed to maintain a dynamic growth in a particularly difficult context. This is very important for the health of the distribution. It should be remembered that Triumph is an independent company, without shareholders or large industrial partner group, and that this commercial performance is the result of a very ambitious policy of launching new machines and considerable investment in research and development..

MNC: Are you fully satisfied with the results of your bestsellers: Street Triple, Tiger 800 (standard and XC) and Speed ​​Triple ?
J.-L. M. : We are very satisfied with the sales of. For a small European manufacturer, maintaining a "locomotive" above, moreover in the most competitive segment, is a performance of which we are proud. The situation is more difficult … The big roadster segment has been divided by three in five years … The Speed ​​remains a fabulous pleasure bike and I am not convinced that the ultra-sporty roadster is the solution and corresponds to the real expectations of French customers. The on the other hand are a real satisfaction. Sales are on the rise and we can sense a growing craze for a very efficient motorcycle, reasonable in terms of weight and cost of use but nevertheless exciting to ride..

MNC: In comparison, the performance of your Sprint GT, Tiger Explorer and Trophy 1200 seems to be lower. How do you explain it ?
J.-L. M. : The is unfortunately at the end of its life and the Sport-GT segment, once flourishing, has almost disappeared. Regarding the and, we are clearly the small challenger in the face of the considerable means of one of the most profitable automobile manufacturers … With our modest means, we will need time to build our reputation and our image over time. these two segments. The quality of motorcycles is recognized, the Trophy is an incredible travel machine, with exceptional protection and comfort … The battle is not over !

MNC: How has the second-hand market behaved? How important was this year to your network ?
J.-L. M. : The second-hand market is one of the pillars of everyone’s activity. Our priority, as a manufacturer, is not to degrade the value of our machines by an ill-considered commercial policy. Our commercial policy is to avoid brutal promotions and the yo-yo of tariffs, in order to ensure stability and visibility to our dealers and our customers. The holding of the price of Triumphs is particularly good, which is obviously an advantage for our customers on the .

MNC: In your opinion, did your new products for 2013 (new Street Triple and Daytona 675, Trophy 1200, Tiger Explorer XC) have passed their first year? ?
J.-L. M. : The answer is clearly yes for the and the. Over the generations, the Daytona has established itself as one of the best trackers on the market, all cylinders combined … When you know the level of production machines in 2013 and the mastery of chassis development that this implies, it is is a real pride !

MNC: What was the good surprise 2013 ?
J.-L. M. : Customer demand for the. We made the bet to drastically reduce the additional cost of ABS, and under these pricing conditions, the request relates almost exclusively to the ABS versions..

MNC: What was the worst ?
J.-L. M. : The difficulty we encountered in developing the notoriety of the .

MNC: In your opinion, what was the highlight of 2013 in the world of two-wheelers? ?
J.-L. M. : At the sporting level, clearly the incredible trajectory of! At the industrial level, undoubtedly the !

MNC: How were your 2014 novelties (Thunderbird Commander and LT, Tiger 800 XC special edition) received by your network and by all bikers ?
J.-L. M. : Our were very well received. The was an excellent opportunity to present these novelties to French bikers, and I admit that I was pleasantly surprised by the enthusiasm around these machines..

MNC: What are your good resolutions for 2014 ?
J.-L. M. : The Triumph product range is now very complete and the quality of Triumph motorcycles is unanimously recognized. We want to take a step forward in terms of notoriety and image, and this will inevitably involve an effort of communication and strengthening of the Triumph brand image. Real enthusiasts know and appreciate us, but many less involved riders still have a blurry image of Triumph.

MNC: What are your major events in 2014 ?
J.-L. M. : We will have many meetings with our clients: track days, gatherings, rock festivals or trail events … And of course, our next in the spring.

MNC: To conclude, what Triumph France ordered from Santa Claus this year ?
J.-L. M. : Fun, pleasure, passion … and reimbursement of the motorbike by Social Security, antidepressant section !

Interview by Matthieu BRETILLE

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