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| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Motorcycle |
| Founded | 1947; 78 years ago (1947) |
| Founder | Gino Amisano |
| Headquarters | , |
| Products | Motorcycle helmets |
| Owner |
|
| Parent | Dainese |
| Website | agv.com |
AGV (initials for "AmisanoGinoValenza") is an Italianmotorcycle helmet manufacturer active inmotorcycle sport. Founded in 1947 by Gino Amisano, since 2007 the company is asubsidiary ofDainese,[1] which was taken over byInvestcorp in 2019.[2] The AGV brand is well known inmotorcycle sport.
AGV makes a range of motorcycle helmets, including full-face racing, sport, touring and off-road models to modular helmets, urban jet helmets and open-face cruiser designs, using various materials including carbon fiber,aramid,fiberglass, andthermoplastics.[3]
Current AGV helmets are developed with an integrated technical development and construction approach the company calls the AGV Extreme Safety protocol, which AGV says has measurable benefits.[4][5]
AGV was founded in 1947 by Gino Amisano (1920–2009). The company name is the initials forAmisanoGinoValenza, Amisano's name andValenza, the place the company was based.[6] The AGV logo is the initials in a helmet shape, in the colors of the Italian flag.[7]
AGV initially made leather seats and motorcycle saddles, adding leather motorcycle helmets a year later. Helmet production came to the fore for AGV when they started making fiberglass helmets in 1954. This was when AGV began making sponsorship deals with motorcycle racers includingKenny Roberts,Barry Sheene,Johnny Cecotto,Steve Baker,Angel Nieto,Giacomo Agostini, andValentino Rossi.[8][9]
In 1958 AGV began hanging advertising banners around the most-photographed track bends.[9] An early example ofproduct placement in movies was 1968'sA Place for Lovers byDe Sica.[10]
AGV began sponsoringFormula One drivers such asNiki Lauda,Emerson Fittipaldi,Keke Rosberg, andNelson Piquet in the early seventies.[9] Valentino Rossi was made an honorary president of the company in 2008.[11]
AGV Helmets was purchased by Italian sportswear and equipment companyDainese in July 2007.[12] Dainese was acquired byInvestcorp ofBahrain for €130 million in 2014[2] and byThe Carlyle Group in 2022. In 2017, AGV began selling its first full-carbon modular helmet.[13][14]
During the1976 German Grand PrixFormula 1 race atNürburgring, the car of Niki Lauda (1949–2019) suddenly made a right turn and crashed into rocks. Lauda lost his AGV helmet and was belted in the car while the car and gasoline on the ground caught fire. Thehead mask was thinner in the areas usually covered by the helmet. Lauda was severely burnt especially on one side of his head. He survived the burns, with hurt lungs and broken bones.
In 2006 Lauda explained in an interview, that previously he always wore a helmet fromBell, but for the 1976 season AGV had developed a new more lightweight and comfortable helmet and Lauda tested it. The AGV helmet fitted too loosely. He believes that the Bell helmet would not have flown away.[15]
Lauda was awarded a high compensation payment from AGV.[16]
AGV sponsors the following:[17]
James HillierRyan VickersDan Linfoot
