Rumors of VW eyeing Italian motorcycle manufacturer Ducati resurface

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Rumors of VW eyeing Italian motorcycle manufacturer Ducati resurface
Could the beauty and finesse of Italian motorcycle design give way to German efficiency?

October 14th, 2009

Could the Italian finesse of Ducati be replaced by German efficiency?

That's the question performance motorcycle enthusiasts are asking themselves across Europe with a recent article in an Italian online magazine writing about a renewed interest in Ducati by German car manufacturer Volkswagen.

The last time Volkswagen executive Ferdinand Piech tried to take over Ducati was in 1985 when the Italian motorcycle manufacturer faced a financial crisis.

All the automotive players must have the strongest sense of Deja Vu, all over again.

Although the Italian motorcycle manufacturer doesn't release official sales numbers, all indications have shown Ducati riding into the same economic storms as other major two-wheeled companies.

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Data released by a motorcycle industry group show Ducati sales in Australia year to date down 13% over the same period last year.

In January, news reports circulated that the management and owners of Ducati took a 10% pay cut and gave up their future bonuses due to the economic crisis.

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Ducati, which is owned by the Bonomi family in the city of Bologna, made the announcement earlier this year after industry figures showed a 38.8 percent drop in new motorcycle sales in Italy in January.

The rumors re-emerged when Piech, head of the supervisory board of Volkswagen spoke at a press conference in Frankfurt and confirmed plans for the expansion of the group, but refusing to name specific brands.

But its not shareholders or owner buy-outs that will help the German car manufacturer successfully buy Ducati. The biggest challenge would come from the Italian government letting such an iconic brand leave the country.

Volkswagen are in talks with Suzuki over a proposed merger have stated they wanted the company to be the number one manufacturer by 2018. Those world domination plans apparently include Ducati, however serious or possible the ambition may be.

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