Benelli is working on a range of new products for their global lineup and one of them is a smaller Imperiale 250, which could be India-bound as a potential rival to the upcoming Royal Enfield 250cc motorcycle.
In an effort to further strengthen their foothold in India, Benelli has ambitious plans for the future. We will be seeing a slew of new launches from the Italian motorcycle manufacturer in the next couple of years. There will be at least ten new engine platforms and according to reports, there will be three new single-cylinder engines as well. And one of them will be joining the Imperiale series of bikes as well. Let us tell you in a little more detail.
Among these new engine platforms coming up, there will be a new 250cc air-cooled long-stroke engine. Now Benelli already has a 250cc engine in their lineup which they use on the Leoncino 250 and in the TRK series as well. However, this is a modern liquid cooled engine with a free revving nature and sporty intentions. Such a nature of an engine would not be suited for something like the Imperiale series.
The Imperiale needs a relaxed, stress-free engine that can be produced at a cheaper cost, and which essentially goes with the character of a retro roadster. Interestingly, Benelli isn’t the only manufacturer working on a new engine in the similar segment. Royal Enfield makes one of the most affordable retro roadster motorcycles in the country and they too are working on a similar engine platform.
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Royal Enfield has quite a few new motorcycles coming up and one of them could be a new 250cc roadster, likely to be called the Sherpa. The Benelli Imperiale 250 already has a rival coming up from Royal Enfield then. As for the other two single-cylinder engines coming up, one of them is a the EU5/BS6 updated version of the Imperiale 400’s motor. Although the motorcycle has already been launched in India, it is still yet to reach global markets.
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The last single-cylinder engine is a new 530cc engine that Benelli has been working on for the Imperiale series and that too has been confirmed. However, this engine will not be making its way to India as it would be hard for Benelli to justify its price in India given that it will be priced pretty close to the Imperiale 400. Also, given that the Imperiale 400 is an already expensive motorcycle over its rivals, iut wouldn’t make much sense for Benelli to sell both the motorcycles alongside each other.
