BMW and Norton owners TVS Motors expand partnership, new models on the way

BMW Motorrad and TVS Motors - the new owners of British brand Norton Motorcycles - have announced an extension of their existing partnership that will see the two companies develop and manufacture new technologies, including electric models.

Two of the world’s largest motorcycle companies, German firm BMW went into partnership with Indian flagged TVS Motors back in 2013, which led to the firm’s first collaborative model in the entry-level G 310 series

Launched in 2018, it is manufactured in India alongside TVS’ own variant known as the TVS Apache 310 RR, with the two models selling 100,000 units over the past three years globally.

Now BMW and TVS have signed an agreement to expand the collaboration that will see new models come to market showcasing fresh technology within the next 24 months, most notably a range of electric-powered motorcycles.

"In the nine years of our long-term strategic partnership, we have always cherished the common core values we share with BMW Motorrad: focus on quality, engineering prowess, innovation and customer satisfaction,” said Mr. Sudarshan Venu, Joint Managing Director, TVS Motor Company

“These factors and our commitment to deliver superior quality products with a strong value proposition has been key to the success of all three products launched from the platform.  The new world of future mobility encompasses a strong play through alternate solutions, including electric mobility.  

“Expanding this successful partnership to EVs and other newer platforms will create opportunities to deliver advanced technology and aspirational products to global markets and bring valuable synergies to both companies.”

While BMW has already made in-roads into the electric market with the launch of its quirky CE.04 scooter, the deal with TVS is expected to speed up the launch of fresh zero-exhaust emissions models.

“In light of our fruitful association with TVS Motor Company, we are delighted to extend and expand our cooperation agreement to include long-term partnership and joint development of new platforms and technologies, including electric vehicles,” Dr. Markus Schramm, Head of BMW Motorrad. 

“Our strong synergies have led to the development of impressive offerings in the sub-500cc segment.  Since the launch, BMW G 310 R and BMW G 310 GS single-cylinder models continue to enjoy unrivalled popularity with over 100,000 global customers.  We look forward to the future of this cooperation.”

TVS Motors became the owner of Norton Motorcycles in February 2020 in a deal that saved the historic company from collapsing. This new deal with BMW could pave the way for Norton to develop its much desired shift into offering high-end premium electric motorcycles in future.