Ducati for sale. SOLD to Audi/VW

[SHIVA]

As of the start of 2012 Ducati's current owners have mentioned they have put up the company for sale for 1B pounds. There have been numerous rumors about who will be the new owner.

In the past two weeks two companies have popped up as the front runners in acquiring Ducati, one is VW owned Audi and the other is the "largest motorcycle company in the world" that no one has heard of called Hero from India.

There are fresh rumors today that Audi has the first bids to taking on Ducati. Audi's owner VW is no stranger to exotic brands of course. They own Bentley, Bugatti and Lamborghini.

Who do you want to see buy Ducati?

some info on this topic from MCN:
http://www.motorcyclenews.com/MCN/News/ ... EPI-135556

[Major_Trouble]

A German / Italian joint venture would take Europe by storm.

[SHIVA]

Indian and Chinese have been busy buying brands, so it would be interesting if Duc goes to the German's. I think VW would be a good partner for them, because they already have exotic, small run brands under their belt.

[Major_Trouble]

The Indian have not done a bad job with Jaguar.

[Eka]

Ducati must do well now and i think they built new bigger factory also recently... or is it yet in use.

Rather Audi than any Asian company.

[SHIVA]

The Indian have not done a bad job with Jaguar.

I agree that Tata seems to have done a good job, but keep in mind most of what is coming out was put in plan by Ford. Also, just because Tata seems to have their act together, it doesn't all Indian companies do.

One issue I have with the new Jaguars is that they don't have a luxurious presence like their German rivals. The new Jaguars seem like Ford's. Which is a real shame. Not sure if the problem is paint quality and fit and finish, or is it something else.

[SHIVA]

Even New York Times now mentioning that Ducati maybe bought by VW.

http://wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/03 ... utomobiles

Magazine Reports That Ducati May Join Volkswagen Group Portfolio
By JONATHAN SCHULTZ

Ducati was considered a relative bargain when the private equity firm Investindustrial expanded its ownership stake in the motorcycle manufacturer in 2008. Last year, reports surfaced that the firm was shopping Ducati to major automakers, with Daimler, the BMW Group, Mahindra & Mahindra of India and Volkswagen all on the short list of interested parties.

The British magazine Car, however, has reported that Volkswagen, namely its Audi division, prevailed on the equity firm to sell at a steep discount, with Audi assuming Ducati’s debt load. Under the reported deal, Audi would have first rights to buy Ducati outright until mid-April.

If ratified, the purchase would give the VW Group a heritage-steeped sportbike brand, something in which Ferdinand Piëch, the company’s chairman, has expressed interest.

According to Reuters, Ducati had expanded its market share in the countries where it was active from 8.5 percent in 2010 to 10.7 percent in 2011. It introduced two significant new models in the last year, the Diavel and the 1199 Panigale.

Ducati has been flirting with Daimler’s Mercedes-Benz brand for over a year. At the 2011 New York auto show, a Ducati appeared on a stand painted in the same Gulf Racing-livery blue and orange as a Mercedes SLS-AMG. Special edition bikes have since been marketed in tandem with high-horsepower coupes and roadsters from AMG, the German automaker’s internal tuning division, including the Ducati Streetfighter 848 sportbike.

Car magazine’s sources were not identified in its report. Andrew Lipman, a spokesman for Audi, had no official comment on the report when reached by telephone on Monday.

Ducati sportbikes are among the world’s most coveted. On Monday, RM Auctions announced the consignment of two Ducati Desmosedici GP racers, one raced by the 2011 MotoGP champion Casey Stoner and another by the seven-time MotoGP champion Valentino Rossi, for the house’s coming Monaco sale in May. They are among 102 Ducatis scheduled to cross the block at the event.

[Major_Trouble]

One issue I have with the new Jaguars is that they don't have a luxurious presence like their German rivals. The new Jaguars seem like Ford's. Which is a real shame. Not sure if the problem is paint quality and fit and finish, or is it something else.

Yes Tata did appear to take over Jaguar at the right time. Maybe down to shrewd business or just luck I don't think we'll really know.

I am not sure why you feel Jaguar don't have a luxurious presence in the states. Is it because they have used Ford stuff like switchgear in the past? It's not as though the VAG group are immune from recycling their switchgear is it. The new XF and XJs have some of the best interiors on the car market barring some vehicles that are out of financial reach of mere mortals. I've sat in BMWs, Audis and Mercs and don't find them at all special in the same way as the new Jags. Here in the UK you are going to be stuck in slow traffic and I would rather be happy sat in a Jag feeling pampered than the German equivalent.

We digress anyway. The thread was about Ducati and who would be best as a potential buyer.

I see Audi running it like they have done with Lamborghini. Improving quality, reliability and efficientcy. I would be concerned about the racing side of the business. MotoGP needs Ducati as much as Ducati needs Rossi. I don't know how much the Germans would be willing to pump into the racing side as it's a big money pit for Ducati. Ducati have always been about design flair and style which if combined with the German company qualities make for a strong combination.

The Indians are pretty good at business and have become a major financial player in recent years. Some even dabling in and finding benefit in motorsort - F1 Force India. Their expertise in engineering may be lacking but they would be good for getting the best out of Ducati financially. They provide the money and finacial savvy and Ducati carry on doing what they do best and designing great motorcycle with style.

[SHIVA]

sorry, I didn't clarify my comment. I thought the image would suffice, I meant external design only. the interior design are really nice on new jaguars, no question. externally and visually they feel like a ford.

[Major_Trouble]

Digressing again but.....

We all have our own opinions on looks but I can't really agree with your looks like a Ford remark, at least not here in the UK. Maybe over the water there it's different.

The back of the XF looks a lot like a taller Aston Martin (ahem, Ford owned) which is no surprise as I think it was the same designer. Certainly not a Ford. The front view has taken a leaf out of the German car maker book and looks a lot like its bigger brother the new XJ or even Bentley (VW owned I think). Again not really Ford like, here at least. Have you got an image of a similar looking Ford that you may be comparing to?

[SHIVA]

they feel like a ford

I am not talking about the design, but the feel of a car. when I look at a new jaguar XJ, from a distance it feels like a ford car. whereas a BMW or merc or porsche all exude luxury, jaguar's "feel" of the car, or how it's perceived doesn't carry that luxurious feeling. I think it may have something to do with the paint quality and overall fit and finish.

the other day I saw a car in my rear view mirror and watching as it was passing me. the feel that I got from it was that it was a ford, then when it actually passed me i saw that it's a jag. I would have never made that mistake with any of the german luxury cars.

so again, it's not about the exterior design or the style, but how the car is put together and most important I think probably the paint quality.

[Mirage_ZA]

When XF was launched, I though what a nice car. XKR is also very pretty. But being a bit geeky, they don't excite me a lot. Jag has been telling us about aluminium bonnets etc like it's their invention, meanwhile BMW has been using glue bonding on 5 series that has been launched back in 2004 I think. Superchargers are also old technology, everyone is using turbo nowdays.
I recently drove new BMW530d - it is BY FAR the best sedan I have driven.

[Eka]

I lost my interest for Jaguar while they were made look a like as Fords... or Fords made look a like as Jaguars. How you can ruine such a awesome brand. Give something decent as all years earlier! Some Asian everythingwillbreakeapartbutwillbecheap -policy is not for me thanks....

[SHIVA]

http://www.asphaltandrubber.com/news/au ... t=My+Yahoo

Audi Buys Ducati for $1.1 Billion – Announcement Tomorrow

According to reports, Audi has finished its acquisition of Ducati Motor Holdings, to the tune of €860 million ($1.128 billion), and will announce the purchase tomorrow at is annual shareholders meeting. The deal reportedly sees Audi, through its parent company the Volkswagen Group, acquiring Ducati for roughly seven times what it earned in revenue last year, but Audi is also assuming all of Ducati’s debt, which has been rumored as high as €200 million, making the revenue multiple significantly smaller.

Audi had until April 15th to exclusively talk to Investindustrial about acquiring the company’s 70% stake in Ducati, and with that deadline passing, talk of another purchaser joining the acquisition deal began to rumble from the media. With Investindustrial’s Andrea Bonomi vaguely hinting that this week would be an important week for the negotiations, it would seem the Italian businessman was hinting at the closure of the deal, and not a second party entering the fray as many publications had thought.

[SHIVA]

also on MCN

http://www.motorcyclenews.com/MCN/News/ ... hisSection

[Bernardo]

I think are excelent news

Another company who will make the bikes with the norms and quality systems takes from car industries, the best IMO.

Perhaps we'll here have a serious dealer with all of response from Audi, like a BMW, just in case Audi uses the same structure like BMW, at least here.

[JHB1984]

great news ... gues no sponsering / cooperation products via AMG anymore then ?

[Major_Trouble]

It's very good news. I hope they can do for Ducati what they have done for Lamborghini and raise the quality profile but leave them to make stunning designs. I hope this doesn't affect Ducati racing either.

[SHIVA]

It's Sold...

Officially Official: Audi’s Board Approves Ducati Acquisition

http://www.asphaltandrubber.com/news/au ... t=My+Yahoo

As expected from yesterday’s news, Audi’s Board of Directors has approved the German car company’s acquisition of Ducati Motor Holding. While the grumblings from Ducati owners have already emerged over the news breaking yesterday, in reality the move is a boon for Ducati, which will receive access to an almost limitless bank account, global business expertise, and advanced manufacturing techniques.

Selling 42,000 motorcycles last year, Ducati has typically struggled to sell more than 30,000 units annually, a figure which is highly regarded as the Italian company’s break-even point. Historically selling under that amount, Ducati has racked up considerable debt from its operation, hence why nearly a quarter of the company’s purchase price is going to its outstanding financial liabilities.

For Ducati owners and Ducati fans around the world, the acquisition by Audi and the Volkswagen Group should be met with more resounding praise, as it means an increased layer of stability has been added to the Italian brand. While the hyperbole has been flowing online, we imagine that the first motorcycles sales success to come from the company post-acquisition will silence any resistance to the company’s new German ownership.

As irrelevant as that metric actually is in business terms, the reality is that Audi’s influence over Ducati will take several years to be fully realized, as it takes a considerable amount of time for new products to come to market, and business plans to be implemented. Press releases from both Investindustrial and Audi are after the jump.

[ssduc]

I think are excelent news

Another company who will make the bikes with the norms and quality systems takes from car industries, the best IMO.

Perhaps we'll here have a serious dealer with all of response from Audi, like a BMW, just in case Audi uses the same structure like BMW, at least here.

I agree, Bernardo. Hopefully, the typically long wait time for parts to arrive from Italy (especially during the month of August) will improve. Although this has improved substantially in the past few years.

[Major_Trouble]

Hopefully with quality improvments you won't need to wait for parts.

[Bernardo]

Hopefully with quality improvments you won't need to wait for parts.

Logical , but it's real?

[SHIVA]

I think this is really good for Duc. as far as car companies are concerned, VW seems to be ideal to own a small exotic brand. they already own Bentley, Bugatti and Lamborghini (also Italdesign), so Ducati would fit right in. VW has done wonders for Lambo and hopefully the trend will continue with Duc.

[Bernardo]

More about on mcn issue:

http://www.motorcyclenews.com/MCN/News/ ... -april-25/