New Delhi: British premium motorcycle brand Norton’s revival under is running behind schedule, with its broader rollout across the UK, Europe and India delayed by at least six months as the company continues to work through certification requirements in the US.
TVS the British brand in 2020 for ₹153 crore and has since invested in a new product lineup and a global expansion aimed at reviving the marque brand. Sudarshan Venu, managing director at the time, told shareholders at the end of FY25 that Norton would launch across the UK, Europe and India by late FY26, with all four models available for the summer 2026 season.
That timeline has slipped. Of the four models Norton unveiled at the EICMA motorcycle show in Italy last November, only the Manx R and the Atlas have launched in the UK and Europe, with customer deliveries beginning in August-September, according to a review of company filings by Mint.
The other two—the Manx and the Atlas GT—are yet to roll out. Norton’s India launch is now slated for after EICMA 2026 in November, according to a company spokesperson.
The delay pushes back Norton’s path to revenue generation and recovery of the nearly ₹2,000 crore in losses TVS has booked at the brand since the acquisition, Mint in July. Experts said the slippage also means Norton has missed the peak motorcycle-buying season in Europe.
“The best time to put your products in the showroom starts around March as bikers prepare for the summer season in Europe. In the winters, the activity is very limited, which means that the scale-up in sales has now been pushed into the next year,” said Deepesh Rathore, founder and head of research at InsightEV.
“With the summer season of 2026 behind now, TVS can take its time to roll out these products as there is no rush with the onset of winters. It’s a long-term play for the company, so a delay of a year should not rush decisions,” Rathore said.
In a separate annual disclosure to the UK companies registrar in July, Norton said it was set to commence retail operations in the April-June quarter as part of its phase-one expansion plan across the UK, India, US and Europe.
A TVS Motor spokesperson told Mint that Norton has established 50 retailers across markets, including the UK, Italy, France, Germany, Spain, Portugal, and Hungary, and has started deliveries of the vehicles.
“Four new-generation products were unveiled, of which two, Manx R and Atlas, were launched earlier this year and are being delivered to customers across Europe. Manx and Atlas GT will follow soon,” the spokesperson said.
The company said the gradual rollout included extensive test-ride programmes aimed at building consumer interest in the brand.
“Supporting Norton’s growth across European markets has been an extensive programme of test-ride events, introducing the next generation of Norton motorcycles to thousands of riders and generating strong customer interest in the brand. Preparations for launch in the United States continue, subject to the final stages of vehicle certification,” the spokesperson said.
Norton’s disclosures showed that the first delivery of the Manx R in the UK took place in August, while Atlas was delivered to European dealers in August before customer deliveries began in September.
“As Norton continues to build the brand globally, it is important to ensure that Norton’s entry into India is equally meaningful and thoughtfully executed,” the spokesperson said.
The revival of Norton is being closely tracked after TVS acquired the British brand in 2020 for ₹153 crore. Mint reported in July that TVS Motor Co. Ltd has booked nearly ₹2,000 crore in losses at Norton since the acquisition, equivalent to about one-fifth of its profit over the past six years.
India’s third-largest two-wheeler maker made ₹9,993 crore in profits between FY21 and FY26, while Norton posted a loss of ₹1,976 crore over the period, a review of its annual reports showed.
Norton has also seen a senior-level exit this year, less than two years after TVS Motor created a dual-executive structure to steer the turnaround of the British premium motorcycle brand. One of the two executives, Nevijo Mance, left the company in April, according to the company’s annual filings.
