Arturo Magni, 1925-2015, the man at the origin of MV AGUSTA's sporting success
Magni is a world icon of motorcycle racing, as technical director of MV AGUSTA, he was behind the scenes of 270 Grand Prix(s) wins and 75 World Champion titles. Magni was born (1925) near Milan and very close to Arcore (where the GILERA factory/headquarters is located). In his youth he was a great enthusiast of gliders, he was a designer, having shown great technical creativity and analytical capacity, he was also a pilot, having become the Italian Champion of the modality in a glider designed and built by himself.
In 1947, he was hired by GILERA where his ability was immediately recognized by Pietro Remor (the brand's chief engineer), and he was given responsibility, in the R&D department, for the 500cc 4-cylinder GP engine. At that time, Count Domenico Agusta was determined to take his brand, MV AGUSTA, to the forefront of motorcycle racing and hired Remor to design a 500cc 4 cylinder GP engine, as well as the road version of it. Faced with this great challenge, Remor took Magni with him. In this way, Arturo led the brand's competition department from the early 50's until 1976. Having led a team of top-notch mechanics, Magni established an unparalleled dominance in the GP.
He was precise, determined, with a keen eye for solving technical problems and racing strategies.
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Under his leadership, the team was an example of composure and sobriety. Although kind and friendly, he was a man of few words and did not like to speak publicly about the team or the bikes. He was fundamental in the design of the frames and engines of the 350cc and 500cc, both in the 3 and 4 cylinder versions. He directed the great champions of that time: John Surtees, Mike Hailwood, Giacomo Agostini and Phil Read, among others. After the death of Domenico Agusta, MV AGUSTA closed its doors, motorcycles were no longer produced and since then the company has focused exclusively on its initial activity, aeronautics. Subsequently, later, the MV AGUSTA brand would be sold to the Castiglioni Group and since then it has continued its journey to the present day. Magni remained as director of the brand's museum and with his children (Carlo and Giovanni) created an EPM company to which he transferred all his knowledge and experience. At EPM (now called MAGNI) he initially dedicated himself to the commercialization of parts for the MV AGUSTA that continued to circulate, as well as the production of period parts, restorations, high-end wheels (EPM), he produced some motorcycle models (equipped with engines from abroad) and recently the company started selling the Filorosso, a replica of the old 500c 3-cylinder engine that uses the current MV 800cc 3-cylinder engine.