Thursday, August 21, 2008
In conversation with Angelo Crippa, Director – KTM
Angelo Crippa, Director - KTM, speaks about the Austrian company's future prospects...
Motociclismo recently spoke to Angelo Crippa, Director – KTM. Here are some excerpts from what he had to say, about the future of the company:
On KTMs being a bit expensive…
‘Yes, our products are a little more expensive, but then the technology and components that we use don’t leave us with much choice. Who can match our quality, or use the same materials as we do? Our customers choose us for our above-average quality, so we cannot and will not descend below where we are.’
On what we can expect to see from KTM at the upcoming EICMA show in Milan
‘We will have a naked big twin, very close to the prototype Venom you saw in 2004.’
On KTM’s growth prospects
‘In the first six months this year, we've posted a growth of around five percent. We don’t foresee a boom over the next 10 years, but also there will be no collapse – we can grow steadily at at least 2-2.5 percent every year.’
On the RC8 not doing as well [in terms of sales] as anticipated…
‘Over the last 10 weeks, we’ve delivered 200 RC8 bikes, of which 67 have been sold. We need to guage the market this year. We are aware that we’ve come with a product that’s very different, and this is a segment that’s traditionally been dominated by the Japanese and the Italians.
But we also know that the RC8 works – that’s been proven in many tests. We will also develop the RC8 1190RR, a higher-spec version of the base model, which will offer even more performance.’
On why KTM chose to go with a v-twin for the RC8
‘I can only say that ours is a long-term choice. Our R&D division has assessed the potential for long-term development. Also, the twin offers cost benefits, which KTM needs to be cognizant of. We are confident we’ll be competitive in World Superbikes with the RC8. We believe in win on Sunday, sell on Monday…’
On the supersports single-cylinder RC4
‘We will certainly do a single-cylinder sportsbike – one that offers the best blend of performance and versatility – but it may not necessarily be the RC4. Its fate also depends a lot on various racing regulations!’
On the possibility of doing an LC4 Adventure…
‘The project is on the table, we are working on it. But we have to proceed step by step. We already have the 690 Enduro, which will be the technical basis for the Adventure – it’s only a matter of time. But we are still not talking about a 2009 model!’
Full interview on Motociclismo here
From: http://www.fasterandfaster.net/2008/...lo-crippa.html
Pic: Motociclismo
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