The brand with the four rings, Audi AG acquires the Italian sports motorcycle manufacturer Ducati Motor Holding S.p.A. from Investindustrial Group. The tradition-steeped leading brand in motorcycle manufacture, Ducati has its registered office in Bologna. It is acclaimed for its exceptional expertise in engine development as well as lightweight construction.
Talking about the acquisition, Chairman of the Board of Management of Audi AG, Rupert Stadler said “Ducati is known worldwide as a premium brand among motorcycle manufacturers and has a long tradition of building sporty motorcycles. It has great expertise in high-performance engines and lightweight construction, and is one of the world’s most profitable motorcycle manufacturers. That makes Ducati an excellent fit for Audi.”
Ducati’s progressive control systems along with the engine’s special combustion chamber process, resulting in the sporty character, will prove beneficial for Audi AG and the Volkswagen Group. In addition, Ducati’s expertise in lightweight construction will provide great potential for both the companies.
The acquisition transaction will be completed as soon as it gets authorised by the competition authorities. It has already been approved by the Supervisory Boards of Audi AG and Volkswagen AG in Hamburg. This will be the third pillar for Audi AG in Northern Italy, along with traditional Italian brands Lamborghini and Italdesign. It will play a significant role as another building block in the growth strategy of the company.
The sustainable, codetermined growth strategy of Audi AG is supported by its diligent employee representatives. About this, Peter Mosch, Chairman of the General Works Council of Audi AG, said “We must use the opportunities offered by globalization for Audi – and that’s exactly what we’re doing. Everyone at Audi is looking forward to working with our new colleagues from Ducati.”
The globally renowned sports motorcycle company, Ducati has its factory in Thailand and manufacturing operations in Bologna, its headquarters. The manufacturer boasts of several importer companies in strategic markets across the globe. Last year, the company sold around 42,000 units along with generating revenue of around €480 million, employing around 1,100 individuals. Experts are of the opinion that the market for motorcycles will see significant growth in the next few years, especially in the Asian market.
This sports motorcycle giant was founded in the year 1926 in Bologna by Adriano and Marcello Ducati. Originally, it was known as Società Scientifica Radiobrevetti Ducati and was engaged in building radio parts. More than two decades later, in 1949, it ventured into motorcycle manufacturing. Through its racing division Ducati Corse, the company has been actively involved in motorcycle racing for many years. With respect to motorcycle racing, its focus is mainly on the official factory team, in the MotoGP class of the Motorcycle World Championship as well as Superbike World Championship that renders support to the private teams. In the latter class, the company was victorious 17 times in 21 championships, whole the pilots won 14 times.
