Swedish motorcycle brand, Husqvarna, is now back in the Philippines. The unique brand, founded in 1903, is known for its eccentric style. This 2021, it returns with fresh optimism for 2021 under its new distributor, Adventure Cycle Philippines, Inc. (ACPI), known for its Austrian motorcycle brand, KTM.
ACPI is the motorcycle distribution arm of AC Industrial Technology Holdings Inc. (AC Industrials), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ayala Corporation. AC Industrials operates and manages the Ayala group’s interests in industrial technology, covering manufacturing, engineering, specialty solar, and vehicle assembly, distribution, and retail.
Like the KTM motorcycles it offers, ACPI’s Husqvarna models are also proudly assembled in Laguna at AC Industrials’ KTM Group dedicated production plant, KTM Asia Motorcycle Manufacturing Inc. (KAMMI).
This strategic joint venture with KTM AG, parent of both the KTM and Husqvarna brands, has been operating since 2017 and has been combining Filipino skills and world-class motorcycle manufacturing capability by AC Industrials, to build motorcycles for local and export markets.
The Husqvarna lineup is made up of three motorcycles.
The first is the Svartpilen 200 called the Urban Hero. This 200cc model is easily the most affordable at PhP175,000.
Next up is the Svartpilen 401, which the brand calls the Urban Explorer. This model is priced at PhP295,000.
Topping the offerings is the Vitpilen 401, called Light Footed. This 400cc motorcycle is priced at PhP315,000.
“We are now expanding the products we are doing in KAMMI. More than three years after launching KTM production for both the Philippines and export, we now bring in one of the most iconic motorcycle brands in history,” said Art Tan, Group President & CEO of AC Industrials.
The group president is also a proud owner of a Husqvarna.
“I have always ridden larger bikes and this is the first time that I have owned a 400cc bike—the Svartpilen 401… These products are built here, hand-made by Filipinos,” he said.
“In 2021, we now don’t have just one weapon. We have two weapons now—we have KTM, and now Husqvarna Motorcycles. We have a great battle and with these weapons, I am confident that together, we would be able to conquer 2021’s races. We also see strong potential in the motorcycle market itself, as we expect the continued presence of the pandemic to drive elevated demand for both personal mobility and social distancing,” said Dino Santos, concurrently President and COO of ACPI & President and CCO of KAMMI.