Moto Guzzi V7: What’s in a name?
Oct 22, 2021
4 minutes
— Alan Cathcart
By 1961 the success of the mass-produced twin-cylinder Fiat 500 car introduced in 1957 had caused a radical downsizing of the Italian motorcycle market. Moto Guzzi, then Italy’s largest manufacturer, responded to the slowdown by exploring new markets, from three-wheeler delivery trucks, to agricultural machinery and even — to cars. That’s right — if you can’t beat ’em, join ’em…
To power a sports version of the Fiat 500 capable of reaching 87mph, Guzzi’s chief engineer and legendary progettista Giulio Cesare Carcano designed a 703cc air-cooled 90-degree V-twin engine with shaft final drive developing 40 horsepower — against
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