Audi to buy Ducati

Oh boy. It's deja vu all over again. Read on.

Financial Times today:

"Ducati is set to change hands this year after its private equity owner said it aimed to make three times its initial investment by selling or listing the producer of top-end Italian motorcycles.
Investindustrial, the Italian private equity group backed by the Bonomi family, is looking to dispose of the motorbike brand in a deal worth up to €1bn.

“Ducati is now a perfect company but the further growth it requires needs the support of a world-class industrial partner,” Andrea Bonomi, Investindustrial’s chairman – and a Ducati driver as well as speedboat owner – told the Financial Times. “This year, we will work towards that partner.”
Last year Investindustrial, one of the biggest private equity investors in southern Europe, mandated Deutsche Bank and Goldman Sachs to sound out a public listing for Ducati in Hong Kong. But a sale to a rival or to a large car group is now seen as the more likely way to internationalise the brand further.
Ducati, which started life 86 years ago as a radio manufacturer, sells about 40,000 motorcycles per year and claims a market share of almost 9 per cent in the global sports motorcycle market. Its sleek design and sporty image has attracted a base of celebrity fans, including Prince William.
Mr Bonomi said a handful of industrial groups in Asia, Europe and the US were interested in Ducati. People close to the situation said possible buyers could include Indian motorcycle group Mahindra and German car groups such as Volkswagen and BMW.
BMW owns a large motorcycle brand and Ferdinand Piëch, VW’s chairman, has long cast an eye on Ducati as a way for his car empire to enter the motorcycle market.
Ducati has debts of about 1.7 times its earnings before interest, depreciation and amortisation, a low level when compared with most private equity portfolio companies."

Linky, but need login

Oh crap. Please don't let BMW Group buy it.

They already effed up Husqvarna.

I could see Chinese money getting it. Strong brand among the affluent, already deep into racing, with a model lineup that could easily convert to three-wheeled pack mule usage.

VW could buy it with change falling out of its pockets.

Yeah, this could be a huge change, or it could just be ownership change. Interesting year ahead for Ducati.

Both were what I'd thought.

Tata bought Range Rover and Jaguar, so I'm unsure if they'd be angling for another premium 'brand'.

VW? They might muck it up since they don't know much about cycles. Unless they're just the sugar daddy, and not another Chrysler / Mercedes / Cerberus debacle.

This just in:
Harley bought them :huh






















Gary

Maybe Polaris could buy them and revive the Ducati Indiana? Or better yet, this bike:

Maybe Harley Davidson wants another crack at Italian motorcycles

Bit of backstory from Asphalt and Rubber. Article had been posted nearly one year ago describing an ongoing relationship between Mercedes and Ducati (hance the AMG Diavel).


Mercedes-Benz Poised to Purchase Ducati Motor Holdings
Linky

Today's post from A&R expands a bit on the Financial Times piece

Ducati Valued at 1Bn euros-Acquisition Talks Continue
Linky

The Mercedes angle seems most likely - already deep into performance with the AMG/Mclaren formula one effort. The AMG Diavel seems like a precursor of things to come. Despite Mercedes long racing heritage and continued presence in F1 and touring cars, they still can't seem to up their image past executive sleds. This would help them - what it would do for Ducati remains to be seen, but if Ducati isn't successful it's a bad move for anyone to take them over.

*checks wallet* Dam only 1,599,999,999.00 short......

VW would seem stronger, actually. Remember, VW is Skoda, Seat, VW, Audi, Bentley and Bugatti. So they run the range of automobiles, and are looking to expand aggressively with the deployment of the Up! vehicle line.

A motorcycle lineup would be a logical extension 'down market' into small vehicles. Currently 55% of the world's population and 60% of the world's wealth is in congested cities where traditional cars don't make sense.

Competitive diesel technology in the Audi Motorsport division would seem they have some interest in a moto arm. Not saying that any Ducati would be diesel, but if Audi is adventurous to compete with diesels, are electrics far behind? How does that equate to cycles?

http://www.automobilemag.com/auto_shows/2006_detroit/0601_2006_volkswagen_gx3/index.html

I wish this would have made it. Much better design than the pseudo motorcycle the Spyder claims to be. Let's hope VW gets it...If it falls into Mercedes hands it will turn into another gadget fest like the new BMWs.

It would be cool if KTM had the funding, I could see some interesting possibilites there.

KTM rules off-road, and surprisingly seems to be getting stronger, but lacks much in the street going categories. Ducati makes awesome street bikes, but could use a dirt division to strengthen their position in the market.

There could be some real synergies there, I'm excited about the posibilities.

Which one of you billionaires out there wants to fund the SCQTT GROUP INC. ?

Let's buy them both, and steamroll the premium (non-HD) brands. Who wants to stick it to BMW & triumph?

I have 25+ years of motorcycle industry experience under my belt.

Let's go!

I know that the Indian company Hero have been rumoured to do this, but it seems that Audi have done a behind the scenes deal to be first in the queue, after the due diligence research etc.

http://www.carmagazine.co.uk/News/S...ati--the-four-rings-expands-from-four-wheels/

I've read that Hero has been in discussions with Ducati, how about a Indian company producing Ducati???
In the past the Italian government has gone to great lenghts to keep their motorcycle producers under their flag.
Now in these tough economic times in the EU, especially in Italy, they may not be able to do so this time around.

Regards, Paul

I read the same. http://www.visordown.com/motorcycle-news-industry/could-hero-end-up-buying-ducati/20221.html

And you forgot to mention that all this is basically owned by Porsche.

So, quite some sporty background there.

Petronas? They had a go at motorcycles a few years ago....