Fiat Chrysler Interested in Piaggio; Mahindra Considering Peugeot Motorcycles?

If they do, they'll be following in the footsteps of the Volkswagen Group, which gobbled up Ducati and put it under the Audi brand in its ever-growing stable of nameplates.

According to rumors floating in from Italy, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles is considering bringing the Piaggio , which would likely include Aprilia, Moto Guzzi and Vespa, brand under its umbrella. While the automaker is currently denying such rumors, a tie-up wouldn't be without merit. In the eyes of certain financial or some-such experts, since BMW is well-known for both cars and motorcycles, a brand that competes could conceivably add in some two-wheeled flavor in order to truly rival the Bavarian firm on all levels, both on paper and in the minds of consumers.

We've also heard rumors that Daimler has more than a passing interest in MV Agusta, a storied Italian marque that has seen a number of ups and downs over the last several decades, and could conceivably market it as a sub-brand under Mercedes-Benz. And then there's Mahindra, which is said to be taking a long, hard look at Peugeot Motorcycles, the scooter-heavy brand that has been losing money for parent company PSA Peugeot Citroën for the last decade, according to Bloomberg.

In any case, while we're not quite sure which of these rumors are most likely to turn into reality, we can at least say that such a move wouldn't be without precedent, and wouldn't be terribly surprising given the current automaking climate. Stay tuned for more as we hear it.