Moto Guzzi has opened the doors to a new factory in its traditional hometown of Mandello del Lario, on the shores of Lake Como, the result of almost five years’ work and more than 50 million Euros of investment.
The new complex, officially opened in the presence of Lombardy Governor Attilio Fontana, Piaggio Group Executive Chairman Matteo Colaninno and CEO Michele Colaninno, combines a high-tech production line with a new museum and a range of public spaces which the company says can become a hub for culture and entertainment.
Far from simply modernising the old factory, the Piaggio-owned company says the project was intended to redefine what a motorcycle manufacturing site can be. Designed by American architect Greg Lynn, the development brings together production, heritage, technology and visitor experiences to the site where Moto Guzzi has been building motorcycles since its foundation in 1921. With over 100 years of heritage behind it, it’s fair to say that Guzzi has become synonymous with Mandello del Lario and plays its part in attracting visitors from around the globe to the area.
At the heart of the revamped site is a new 5,500-square-metre production facility, taking the overall factory footprint to 38,000 square metres and increasing potential production capacity to more than 30,000 motorcycles a year, around three times more than the current output. The brand is rumoured to be expanding its current four-bike range and opening up the marque to a new audience with a range of A2 category machines powered by a 457cc parallel-twin engine sourced from sister brand Aprilia.
The new engine assembly lines, destined to build the company’s unique transversely-mounted V-twin engines, feature the latest automation technology, while a robotised conveyor system links the engine shop directly with final motorcycle assembly.
Once a motorcycle reaches the end of the production line, it is handed over to ground drones, developed in Boston by Piaggio Fast Forward, which transport the bikes for final testing. The system is designed to reduce the physical demands placed on workers while improving safety and efficiency.
Piaggio says the facility has been designed with sustainability in mind. It includes 1,300 square metres of photovoltaic panels, which turn sunlight into electricity, and makes extensive use of natural light.
Yet despite the futuristic technology behind the red gates, one of Mandello's most recognisable landmarks remains untouched.
The red entrance on Via Parodi, used by Moto Guzzi workers since 1921, has become a pilgrimage point for generations of motorcyclists. Its continued presence provides a tangible link between the company's past and its new future.
Next door, the new Moto Guzzi museum offers another connection with that history. The 3,000-square-metre building houses more than 160 restored motorcycles, spanning the company's entire history, including the iconic V8 Grand Prix racer of the 1950s and all the machines which marked the beginning of Moto Guzzi through to current production machines. Among them are legendary road bikes and the company's competition machinery, including many of the motorcycles responsible for Moto Guzzi’s 14 world titles.
Rather than simply presenting motorcycles behind glass, the museum aims to put them into a wider social and cultural context, with displays covering racing, cinema, travel, art, military and police use. Visitors will also be able to look directly into the production facility and watch new Moto Guzzis being built.
The redevelopment extends beyond the factory and museum, with more than 4,200 square metres of public-facing facilities. These include pedestrianised outdoor areas, two tree-lined squares, a raised terrace overlooking a central piazza and a monumental mosaic depicting Moto Guzzi's famous eagle. The historic Galleria del Vento wind tunnel has also been restored, while the site now includes a Motoplex Store, café, workshop and event spaces and a new auditorium.
Michele Colaninno, Piaggio Group CEO, spoke with passion at the opening of the facility, saying: “It is with great pride and a touch of madness that, after almost five years of hard work and an investment of over 50 million Euros, we are launching the new chapter in the life of Moto Guzzi. The project has involved a complete transformation of the factory and the museum, and is the brainchild of Greg Lynn, a friend and internationally renowned architect, with whom we have worked to fuse metal and robots, silence and art.
“Overlooking the shores of Lake Como, in Mandello del Lario, surrounded by the past and the present, yet also one of the most cutting-edge motorcycle factories, a technological benchmark in the global motorcycle industry. This was a by no means easy challenge, which, together, we have successfully completed. Moto Guzzi is one of the world’s best loved and iconic motorbike brands: anyone who rides a Moto Guzzi is riding through over a century of Italian history, with all our memories and all our hopes for the future.”
Moto Guzzi has been in Mandello for 105 years. Now, rather than leaving its historic home behind in the pursuit of modern manufacturing, it has attempted to bring the past and future together in the same place. The result is part factory, part museum and part visitor attraction – and a bold statement that, after more than a century, Moto Guzzi still intends to build its future on the shores of Lake Como.
In a world of offshoring, it’s clear Piaggio has big plans for this grand old motorcycle brand in its native Italy. It will be interesting to see how the Moto Guzzi product line and marketing evolves in the coming years, as European bike makers prepare for the onslaught of a new generation of Chinese motorcycle brands.
