Audi buys motorcycle manufacturer Ducati

[ne_one]

Audi buys motorcycle manufacturer Ducati
National Post
April 18, 2012
by National Post Staff

Audi AG has announced it is acquiring Ducati, the tradition-steeped Italian sports motorcycle manufacturer.

The supervisory boards of Audi AG and Volkswagen AG approved the acquisition Monday in Hamburg, Germany.

Ducati is known worldwide as a leading motorcycle manufacturer, with outstanding expertise in engine development and lightweight construction.

Specifically, Audi says Ducati’s progressive control systems and special combustion chamber process of its engines, their resulting sporty character and the motorcycle manufacturer’s extensive know-how in lightweight construction, offer great potential.

Ducati has manufacturing operations at its headquarters in Bologna and at its factory in Thailand. In 2011, Ducati sold approximaely 42,000 motorcycles and generated revenue of some $625-million, employing around 1,100 people.

Full article at link.

[germeezy1]

VW/ Audi continues in their quest for world domination, and either they will succeed or they will fail miserably.

[nferr]

I had a Ducati. Blast to ride but the maintenance requirements were ridiculous.

[germeezy1]

I had a Ducati. Blast to ride but the maintenance requirements were ridiculous.

And that differs from many VW/ Audi products in what way exactly? Can I ask what model you had, my friend bought a new 1098S a while ago and I think I am in love.

[Neanderthal]

VW/ Audi continues in their quest for world domination, and either they will succeed or they will fail miserably.

Walking in Honda's footsteps, hey?

Wonder when the jet aircraft is coming, exactly?

I had a Ducati. Blast to ride but the maintenance requirements were ridiculous.

Well, that's NOT Honda's footsteps, is it?

And that differs from many VW/ Audi products in what way exactly? Can I ask what model you had, my friend bought a new 1098S a while ago and I think I am in love.

Har! Touche`.

[nferr]

And that differs from many VW/ Audi products in what way exactly? Can I ask what model you had, my friend bought a new 1098S a while ago and I think I am in love.

I had an ST3 sport tourer. Needed full desmo valve adjustments every 6000 miles which is a big job on a fully faired bike. Especially for a sport tourer which is supposed to rack up miles. Great bike though.

[jldowdy]

VW/ Audi continues in their quest for world domination, and either they will succeed or they will fail miserably.

At the rate they are expanding and buying car lines, I have a feeling we will be finding out the answer to this in the immediate future...

[JerryL]

Just saw a brand new Ducati caught in the Miami rain.... wet dealer tags maked it look like it was crying...........

[germeezy1]

I had an ST3 sport tourer. Needed full desmo valve adjustments every 6000 miles which is a big job on a fully faired bike. Especially for a sport tourer which is supposed to rack up miles. Great bike though.

Sounds like a lot of fun, and expensive to maintain as well. Did you have ABS, and if you don't mind me asking what year was it?

At the rate they are expanding and buying car lines, I have a feeling we will be finding out the answer to this in the immediate future...

Well, history shows us that one of the outcomes is far more probable than the other outcome.

[sfbreh]

VW/ Audi continues in their quest for world domination, and either they will succeed or they will fail miserably.

I see two paths... I see VW watering down its brands in an attempt to streamline production and raise profits, and I also see an increasingly streamlined organization that's absolutely enormous.

At the rate they are expanding and buying car lines, I have a feeling we will be finding out the answer to this in the immediate future...

Yep.

Well, history shows us that one of the outcomes is far more probable than the other outcome.

Not being facetious when I say, I have no idea what you mean. What do you mean? I pray Icarus repeats his mistake.

[nferr]

Sounds like a lot of fun, and expensive to maintain as well. Did you have ABS, and if you don't mind me asking what year was it?



Well, history shows us that one of the outcomes is far more probable than the other outcome.

My Ducati was a 2005. ST3 non ABS. I'm not sure if they offered ABS that year. Don't remember, bought it new in shiny black. I had three bikes at the time, the Ducati, a Triumph Speed Triple and a Triumph Bonneville. Even having three bikes I still put 12,000 miles on the Ducati in two years.

[germeezy1]

My Ducati was a 2005. ST3 non ABS. I'm not sure if they offered ABS that year. Don't remember, bought it new in shiny black. I had three bikes at the time, the Ducati, a Triumph Speed Triple and a Triumph Bonneville. Even having three bikes I still put 12,000 miles on the Ducati in two years.

I believe 2005 was the first year for ABS as an option but 2006 is when more were optioned that way. I find myself quite impressed with your taste in motorcycles, a mate has a Triumph Daytona done in JPS livery and it is quite stunning.

[mbukukanyau]

Volkswagen cannot possibly run its businesses properly.. I have a feeling they are cooking the books

[syr74]

Volkswagen cannot possibly run its businesses properly.. I have a feeling they are cooking the books

The big problem with VW is that the one part of their conglomerate that isn't as profitable as you would think that it would be is.....VW. To be fair they are aware of the problems are they are very much trying to fix it, but I'm not sure their solutions are a great idea long term which is something I fear that you can say about a great deal of their present strategy.

[germeezy1]

The big problem with VW is that the one part of their conglomerate that isn't as profitable as you would think that it would be is.....VW. To be fair they are aware of the problems are they are very much trying to fix it, but I'm not sure their solutions are a great idea long term which is something I fear that you can say about a great deal of their present strategy.

Audi is where most of the profit comes from , VW despite moving significant volume world wide is still struggling with profitability as a brand individually.