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

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.

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.

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.

 

VW is way to big for their own good. Thats my honest opinion.

 

"Those who don't know history are destined to repeat it" - Edmund Burke

Sounds like GM all over again. The way VW talks about wanting to be #1 all the time, makes them sound arrogant and too ambitious (buying this and that just to add more to their portfolio) IMO. It's tough being #1 as we've seen giants (GM) fall. Toyota is smart and not taking their current position for granted as GM did, but I fear that VW has the mindset that GM did.

But anyway regarding the article. I agree that the Italian government won't give up Ducati without a fight.

 

It's very easy to draw that conclusion, but the reality is the Volkswagen Group has fundamentals that are much stronger than that of GM. Their products are bar-setters, they have competent leadership, and most importantly, a sustainable labor structure in which healthcare is assumed by the government.

 

I agree, VW is getting way too big for their own good. Strong leadership or not, VW is asking for trouble by buying all these different kinds of brands, from different countries, that all offer different products. VW leadership is only human, and when you have such a variety of brands with people from different countries and cultures, and brands that formerly operated with different corporate cultures, trouble is bound to happen.

What's next? Will VW try to buy Komatsu or Caterpillar, and get into the mining equipment business ?

 

i've realized usually,

if Piech wants it, he gets it.

even if it takes more than one try.

 

VW is blowing up. They are Huuuge