Norton look to the future

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Garner era deliveries completed as brand sign former Man Uboss

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Solihull-based Norton have confirmed the completion of all outstanding Commando and V4 orders left over from the wreckage of the Stuart Garner era, following a £2.3million redevelopment and delivery programme of both platforms.

The Norton brand was purchased for £16million by TVS Motor Company Group in April 2020, after the collapse of Norton Motorcycles UK Ltd (NMUL). Indian firm TVS, who already produce around 4.95 million powered two-wheelers annually, then pledged to invest a further £100million to the historic British operation.

Once in charge, TVS announced they would honour the previously paid deposits on Commando and V4SS models made to NMUL and complete orders. They have since extensively redeveloped both models – announcing in June 2021 that they would be unable to rectify faults with the V4SS and later introducing the £44,000 V4SV.

“It is a great achievement being able to deliver motorcycles to NMUL customers and new Norton Motorcycle customers alike,” Norton Motorcycles CEO, Dr Robert Hentschel told MCN.

“Seeing their joy first hand is a great source of pride, both for Norton and for me personally. We can now focus our efforts on the future, on new products and new markets around the world.”

The brand also confirmed to MCN that all customers who had placed a deposit on a Commando or V4 were offered the service, with most taking up the offer. In total, 70 of the V4s were built for ‘old Norton’ customers, alongside 19 naked Commando machines.

Dr Hentschel continued: “Following a £7million investment in our state of the art headquarters in Solihull, Birmingham, we employed a dedicated team, focused on an extensive quality improvement programme so that we could provide both legacy and new customers with our reengineered V4SV, Commando 961 and the new V4CR.

“Alongside this, development of the future product range continues to make excellent progress thanks to the recent addition of Brian Gillen as Chief Technical Officer.”

Having previously held the title of R&D Director at MV Agusta, Gillen’s appointment was officially announced back in February. He worked with the Italian brand for over 15 years and had a hand in many of their three-and fourcylinder luxury models.

New appointments