It’s been a long, steady road to recovery but Italian firm Benelli Motorcycles is on course for another sizeable boost in annual sales after posting an 8.9% growth during the first-half of 2019.
One of motorcycling’s longest-serving brands – with origins stretching right back to 1911 – Benelli’s fortunes had taken a hit during the early years of the Millennium prior to it being purchased by the China’s Motor Group Qianjiang.
Retaining its Italian base and workforce but now stimulated by fresh Chinese investment, Benelli’s return to prominence has really accelerated in the last few years.
Indeed, having ended 2015 with sales just exceeding 10,000 units, Benelli shifted 43,137 motorcycles in 2018 and is well on course to exceed that in 2019 having sold 23,578 machines in the first six months of the year.
Benelli back on top in Italy
Representing an 8.9% leap in sales, Benelli’s revived fortunes have – unusually – been stimulated by a return to form in Europe.
Indeed, with ASEAN markets maintaining an interest in Benelli during the tougher years, Europeans – especially Italians - are now backing the local company with sales surging on home soil to return Italy to the top of the market share charts at 17.3%
In total Europe accounts for 39% of sales, followed by Latam, ASEAN and the rest of Asia, while USA, Argentina, China and Indonesia follow up Italy on what is now an impressive global spread of influence for the once struggling firm.
New Benelli models coming for 2020
Looking forward, the handsome new Benelli TNT 600 is on the horizon to take on the Kawasaki Z650, Honda CB650R and Yamaha’s MT07.
Revealed unmasked in patent images which were (accidentally) leaked to the press, the Benelli TNT 600 is expected to get its formal unveiling at November’s EICMA in Milan.
The images show a number of updates to the machine. Most notable is the new front-end design, which has ditched the large, round headlight and gone for a dual headlight design.
