Yamaha considers launching its urban two-seater in 2019

First reported by the Japanese business daily Nikkei, the news was confirmed today by the Reuters agency. A source close to the project of the manufacturer of motorcycles has said that Yamaha Motor is now studying the possibility of starting production and sales in Europe of its urban two-seater in 2019, one year earlier than planned when it presented the Motiv prototype at the Tokyo Motor Show in 2013.

That source, who asked to remain anonymous as he was not authorised to disclose details publicly, said that Yamaha intends to invest tens of billions of yen in building a factory in Europe dedicated to this model. However, it has not yet decided on the location or the exact amount of money.

In its statements to Reuters, the source added that the vehicle will be offered with a one-litre petrol engine and an electric version. For now, the Old Continent represents the first and only region where it has been confirmed that the car will go on sale, although Yamaha does not rule out extending its plans to Japan and to developing countries.

Given its characteristics and Yamaha’s plans, the Motiv will be one of the toughest and most interesting rivals the all-powerful smart fortwo will face. The studio of the renowned British designer Gordon Murray, from whose iStream the Motiv derived, is immersed in its development, and the fact that it is considering bringing forward its market launch seems to signal that the work is progressing at a very good pace.

Yamaha’s history with four-wheeled vehicles has been linked mainly to Toyota, which owns a 5% stake in the former. Their collaborations have ranged from assembling the 351 units of the 2000GT between 1967 and 1970, to designing the engines of the AE86 and the Celica, as well as certain aspects of the LFA. The Motiv concept is radically different from all these models, but it will undoubtedly help to meet the not-so-distant urban mobility needs.

Source | Reuters