BMW announces takeover of Harley-Davidson
BMW announces takeover of Harley-Davidson
(MUNICH, GERMANY) Norbert Reithofer, CEO of Bayerische Motoren Werke AG, announced today that Harley-Davidson Motor Company has accepted a friendly merger agreement by BMW and will combine their motorcycle manufacturing facilities. Mr. Keith E Wandell, CEO of Harley-Davidson, will become president of the the worldwide motorcycle division, which will include the current BMW Motorrad division, Harley-Davidson, and Husqvarna.
"We have long felt the need to diversify our motorcycle production by adding models more attuned to the cruiser market," Herr Reithofer said. "With our current BMW line, our Husqvarna line, and now the new Harley-Davidson line, we will be able to penetrate all parts of the worldwide motorcycle market."
Mr. Wandell stated that the move, which has taken the motorcycling world by surprise, was accepted by Harley-Davidson as a way to strengthen its capital base, which has never recovered from the 2008 financial meltdown. "We also are looking for ways to streamline our operations by combining research and development, design, and marketing components of our motorcycle lines."
The two men showed off a prototype of the kind of combined work the new combined companies will be capable of by announcing the BMW H1600R, which features a Harley motor in the body of the current K1600GT, suitably modified, with a distinctive orange and blue paint scheme to combine the colors of the two companies.
There was also a clay mockup of a version of the current RoadKing Classic with the iconic BMW boxer motor, which is promised for fall introduction."
FOR RELEASE AFTER MARCH 31, 2015
