TVS Motor makes a move on Engines Engineering

TVS Motor has acquired the Italian tuning and development company Engines Engineering (EE), and will now turn the company into its Global Centre of Excellence (CoE) for Design and Engineering.

EE has had a hand in the development and testing of some extremely well known bikes, including the revamped Suzuki Katana (which in itself is based on the GSX-S1000) as well as electric bikes and so-called connected vehicles. It also has a lot of experience in the world of on-track competition, developing bikes for Moto3. It was this understanding that helped to propel Mahindra, which used to own a significant stake in the firm, into the Grand Prix World Championship.

Exactly what the CoE will be focusing on remains unclear, although TVS’ Chairman, Sudarshan Venu, made comments that could link the centre to aiding the rebirth of Norton.

“The establishment of the new Italian Global Centre of Excellence marks another milestone in strengthening our capabilities and accelerating our journey to reimagine mobility. By combining the creativity and racing expertise of Engines Engineering with our engineering and design strengths, we are expanding our ability to deliver premium, connected, and electric vehicles that set new global benchmarks.”

That final comment from Venu seems to point to the Norton brand, which would surely benefit from having a design and development facility in mainland Europe. The move to open the facility in Bologna, Italy, follows a period of expansion for Norton here in the UK. That investment was capped off by more than £200 million in direct investment following the purchase of the iconic British brand in April 2020.

Over at TVS’s new Centre of Excellence, the boffins will be getting their hands on some pretty trick kit. We’re talking digital simulations, rapid prototyping tools, AI-powered wizardry, and the sort of fancy materials you’d usually expect to find in aerospace, not motorcycles. The idea is to speed up development and make sure the next wave of TVS models doesn’t just keep up with the competition but stays ahead of it.

A modular platform approach means the brand can bolt on new features without starting from scratch every time, which is especially handy when you’re dealing with the growing demand for connected bikes and smarter tech. And it’s not just an in-house effort either, TVS is throwing the doors open to universities, startups, and suppliers across the globe in a bid to stir up fresh ideas and push innovation that bit further.

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