Norton Motorcycles will ride again – but perhaps not in the way fans of the famous British bike brand may expect.
The motorbike maker was bought out of administration earlier in April and its new owner, TVS Motor of India, says it will launch a product offensive that will take it into the electric age and require a doubling of the company’s workforce.
Speaking with The Financial Times, Sudarshan Venu, joint managing director of TVS, said that the future for Norton, which was founded in 1898, lay in emerging technologies, including electric powertrains and assisted riding systems.
“It is important that we take Norton into the future,” said Venu, “in assisted riding, safety systems, and electric. Norton has always stood for the highest end of motorcycles, as many of these features are important for taking the brand into the future.”
TVS is India’s third-largest bike maker, and produces a platform used by some BMW motorbikes. It paid £16 million for Norton, and plans to introduce modern technology to future bikes, which it believes will widen Norton’s appeal.
Norton entered administration in January, after reportedly struggling to settle a tax bill with HMRC. Founded in Birmingham, Norton began making motorbikes in 1902 – the same year as Triumph and two decades before Brough came to be – and made a name for itself through motor sport, even winning the inaugural Isle of Man Tourist Trophy, in 1907.
Models such as the Dominator and the Commando proved popular, and famous owners included Clint Eastwood – who also had a soft spot for British classic cars, including Austin-Healey and Jaguar – and Che Guevara. The latter rode a 1947 Model 18 Norton to North America, and the journey and contrasts between South America and the affluent north proved formative on Guevara.
“Norton is an iconic brand. We want to restore the brand to its former glories, produce the excellent products that it has, and delight its loyal fan base,” said Sudarshan Venu.
In a move that should please Norton customers who were left out of pocket when the company collapsed, TVS says the first task will be to restart manufacturing at the Donington Park site, in Leicestershire, and fulfill orders for bikes that were never delivered to paying customers. By the end of the year, Norton is expected to move to a new, larger factory that will allow for expansion.
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