Following its strategic partnership with MV Agusta, Benelli has revealed plans for a 1,000cc four-cylinder bike and the revival of its old 900cc triple.
Upcoming Benelli engines to classify into four families
Presentation reveals a total of 10 engine variants
Three-cylinder TNT 899i to be revived
Earlier this week, MV Agusta Motor announced a new strategic partnership with QJ-Motor Co – Benelli’s parent company in China – for the distribution of the brand’s motorcycles in the latter’s home country. Benelli plans to eventually expand its line-up with numerous motorcycles and multiple engine layouts. As part of the partnership, it will also initially distribute MV Agusta’s products in China, and later include the Italian bike maker in its engine research, development, and product co-operation activities.
Now, what looks like a presentation of Benelli’s upcoming plans has surfaced online, revealing that the manufacturer plans to have four engine families in the future.
Imperiale 530 to be powered by single-cylinder, air-cooled engine
At the bottom of the line there’s a range of single-cylinder, air-cooled engines in 250cc, 380cc and 530cc versions. We already know that an Imperiale 530 is in the works, and now we know that this is the engine that will power it.
New Benelli parallel-twin
Currently, Benelli’s parallel-twin line-up includes 300cc, 500cc and 750cc engines. This presentation reveals that 400cc, 700cc and 900cc parallel-twin engine are also under development. It remains to be seen whether these engines will sit alongside the existing platform or take the place of the aforementioned parallel twins. Either way, it’s likely that it’s these units that will power the upcoming TRK 800 ADV and a Leoncino Cross based on the existing model.
Reintroduction of Benelli TNT 899i and new three-cylinder engine
Benelli once had a three-cylinder engine in its portfolio. It’s this unit that powered the Tornado Tre and TNT 899, which was once sold in our market as well. This engine platform was laid to rest when Qianjiang acquired Benelli but is now making a comeback on none other than the TNT 899i.
Four-cylinder Benelli motorcycle still some time away
The presentation also revealed new four-cylinder engines – a 650cc unit and a 1,000cc unit. At the moment, Benelli’s only four-cylinder engine is the 600cc unit used on the TNT600i and the SRK 600 that was seen earlier this year. The 650 engine is likely to be an upscaled version of the existing motor, following a slight bump in displacement to balance out any power loss that has been incurred by the transition to comply with Euro 5 norms. There are no details, yet, on the litre-class engine.
Are there any details on when these upcoming Benelli bikes will launch?
Not at the moment. However, the presentation that leaked earlier this year did confirm that bikes like the TRK800 adventure bike, a new 600RR and the Imperiale 530 were to launch this year. That said, it’s likely this has been delayed due to the pandemic.
