MV machines under licence by a local factory, which had licenses and manufacturing permits and therefore had access to raw materials. A deal was struck with Nilo Masó of Alpha in Barcelona and MV Alpha was formed in 1948. Sales were good, but because of the limited facilities of Alpha, production could not be increased. The licence to produce MV motorcycles was transferred to the larger and better equipped Avello factory in the Natahoyo neighbourhood of Gijón in Asturias in 1951, creating the MV Avello brand. Production in Spain continued until 1972. 1967–1974: World's first production transverse 4-cylinder motorcycles Inline 4-cylinder engines have been a modern characteristic feature of MV Agusta. For the first time this type of engine designed by Pierro Remor was used in the 1950 Grand Prix season. In the mid-1960s, when the demand for large engine capacity motorcycles grew, there was born an idea to apply it on a road bike (the first prototype MV Agusta 500 Grand Turismo R19 was built in 1951). It was rumored that preventing any competition Count Agusta ordered to build the road vehicle with no possibility of converting it into a racing one. Therefore, the MV Agusta 600 debuted at the Milan Trade Fair in 1965 was deliberately distinguished by the massive parts of the 592-cc engine, final shaft drive and weighed 221 kg. It became the world's first production motorcycle with a transverse 4-cylinder engine. Firms such as Henderson had produced motorcycles with longitudinal inline 4 engines since 1912. It was followed by models with engines with a displacement of 743, 790, 837 and 862 cm³, including the legendary 750 Sport and 750 Sport America. Even when the company canceled motorcycle production in 1977, Arturo Magni was authorized to produce and sell motorcycles under the MV Agusta brand on its own. The most advanced model, the 1978 Grand Prix 1100, developed 119 hp, weighed only 202 kg and accelerated from 0–100 km/h in 3.9 sec. The history of the 750 S America model began when Chris Garville and Jim Cotherman of Commerce Overseas Corporation, the US MV importers, got the idea that with a few modifications, the MV 750 S had great potential in the United States. In the autumn of 1974, they travelled to Italy to discuss these upgrades which were rather well received by Cascina Costa. Result-oriented, the two American businessmen called for an improved design and