Earlier this week, MV Agusta had announced a strategic tie-up with China based QJ-Motors, the Chinese company that owns Benelli. Now, Benelli aims to revive its 900ccc inline triple along with a 1,000cc four-cylinder bike.
According to plans that were revealed, Benelli will first help MV Agusta sell their motorcycles in the Chinese market and later carry out engine research. If Benelli’s plans that surfaced online are true, then it also looks to be developing more engines to expand its lineup.
Currently, Benelli has a 300cc, 500cc and 700cc parallel-twin lineup, but the presentation reveals that the company is also planning to develop a 400cc, 700cc and a 900cc parallel-twin engine. But whether these new engines will replace the ones that are already in the market is still to be seen.
Benelli is also working on a range of 250cc, 380cc and 530cc single cylinders. We already know that the company is working on a Imperiale 530, so the engine looks about right.
Next up is the introduction of two new four-cylinder engines: a 650cc inline-four and a litre-class inline-four. And finally the reintroduction of the 900cc triple. Benelli used to have the TNT 899 powered by such an engine and sold in India, but after the acquisition by QJ-Motors, the platform was scrapped. The new TNT 899i, however, could be revived with this engine.
As for India, we will just have to wait and watch as details on all of this is still very scarce. The TRK800, 600RR and the Imperiale 530 were supposed to be launched this year, but the pandemic may have delayed that as well.
