Italjet - In the Company of Giants
We have a catch up with Massimo Tartarini, President of Italjet
Located in north-central Italy, in the Emilia-Romagna region, you'll find the Motor Valley, often referred to as "the place where speed was born", it's where some of the world's most revered and renowned motor vehicle manufacturers call home.
It's a Mecca for petrol heads. Not only will you find the head offices and factories belonging to some of the worlds most prestigious brands, but it's also filled with extraordinary automobile museums and race tracks. It's a motorist's paradise. Brands such as Ferrari, Lamborghini, Ducati and Maserati all reside in this automotive powerhouse.
Clearly, this is luxury vehicle heaven, so it may come as a surprise to some to know this is where Italjet also has its head office. While small in comparison, the Italjet brand is renowned for making some of the most beautiful, luxurious and innovative designs ever to grace the small CC motorcycle and EV segment. Italjets founder Leopoldo Tartarini had close ties to Ducati and worked as a design consultant for the legendary Italian brand for more than a decade, helping to produce the Mark lll singles, 750 Sport, 900 Darmah V-twins, the 350/500cc parallel-twin range, and the iconic desmo V-twin which was actually made within the Italjet factory. These days Italjet is still firmly in the hands of the Tartarini family and now headed up by the design godfather's son, Massimo Tartarini, who has enormous shoes to fill, but if the new Dragster is anything to go by, he is doing an outstanding job.
Speaking with Massimo Tartarini recently, I asked for his thoughts on being located within the prestigious motor valley and how this has inspired his work; he had this to say...
"Motorvalley is an extraordinary place, just driving to the office can be a remarkable experience and a source of great inspiration, naturally with all the brands that work in the region its not uncommon to share the road with the latest creation from Ferrari, Lamborghini or Ducati. It's a place we are very proud to call home; it's not just about the things we see, but there is always an exciting feeling in the air and the sound of high-performance engines being tested in the distance.
It's quite a close community; we can often be found at the neighbouring Imola race track, fine-tuning certain aspects of the new Dragster. The local restaurants and bars are filled with designers and visionaries not only from here in Italy but from all over the world. A quick stop for coffee can often lead to building a bond with a new client or supplier. It's like the silicon valley of the motor industry.
It's clear to see where I have drawn some inspiration for the Dragster from other brands located here in the Motor Valley. The lighting is very reminiscent of Ducati, the vents and bodywork taking inspiration from high-end Italian supercars. That being said, we have still managed to create a totally unique vehicle and not a copy. I dont like to call the Dragster a scooter, but if any scooter deserves a home here in the famous motor valley, we designed the Dragster to be that scooter" -Massimo Tartarini, President of Italjet.
If you ever find yourself in the region, I would highly recommend a tour around the famous Motor Valley, and be sure to stop in at Italjet HQ Massimo or a member of his team, will be happy to sit down over a coffee a chat about Italjets long history and visions for the future. As you would expect from a company that makes vehicles with such a strong design ethos, the Italjet offices are worth of attention on their own merit. The building itself is a modern work of art, and inside, you'll find it clad in rustic timber and Italjets current and past designs on display alongside memorabilia telling the story of how Italjet came to be. A genuinely creative space designed to help the team focus and welcome visitors.
Written by Bobby Beck.
