Motorbike maker Malaguti owes its origins to Antonino Malaguti's adventure who manufactured bicycles in a small factory with 15 employees in the 1930s.

The Malaguti two-wheels began sponsoring famous champions in no time and the brand was consolidated as word of its quality, innovation and avant-garde technologies spread.

After the war, Malaguti began to manufacture mopeds, which became the core business of the company. The Mosquito engine, assembled on a special Malaguti lightweight frame with integrated tank, signed the shift from bicycles to motorbikes. Later on, the Express, which took the name from its German engine, was born, and the Malaguti brand was well and truly known across the market.

Now, 78 years later, Malaguti celebrates the launch of the hybrid at the EICMA show in Milan. It is the result of an innovative project with the co-operation of the Italian Ministry of Environment, Ducati Energia, ITT and Engines Engineering, and the Chinese Tongji University of Shanghai.

The project sees a 50cc piston engine connected to a generator which feeds both the batteries and an electric motor placed on the wheel.

This model will allow the drastic cut of the consumptions and the polluting emissions because the vehicle can be fed by the batteries only.

This co-operative effort has been already successfully tested with the development of the electronic injection unit which powers Centro in both 125 and 160 cc versions and now also the new Blog 125 and 160 cc, which will be on sale from January.

Malaguti has rolled out over two million vehicles, including top-selling models such as the Fifty which started to be manufactured in 1975, and the Phantom, which began production in 1992: over 380,000 units produced.

Malaguti is a 100 per cent family company, ready to anticipate market trends by offering innovative solutions and Italian creativity.

The Malaguti offers a range of different class scooters, from 50cc to 500cc, to meet all actual market requirements.

Turnover this year is expected to reach €100 million with a production of about 50,000 units.

The Malaguti range is being introduced on the local market by Muscats Motors (tel. 2326 4586). Prices start from €1,999.