Audi is on the verge of buying debt-ridden Ducati, Car magazine reports. The Italian superbike maker is currently some €200m in the red and up for sale. There are several interested parties, including India’s Mahindra and Hero, Daimler and, perhaps a little strange, Volkswagen too.
You’ll recall Mercedes-Benz has a marketing/sponsorship deal with Ducati and on the surface it would make sense if the two companies made their association stronger. However, Audi has struck a deal with Ducati that gives them first right of refusal to buy.
An internal Audi team titled Project Eagle has been charged with managing the Ducati deal and is currently assessing the suitability of the buyout. It’s believed Audi will pick a number between €50–100m and won’t be drawn into an informal bidding war. A mid-April timeline is expected for the takeover to be finalised.
Volkswagen Group’s leader Ferdinand Piech is the man behind Project Eagle and he has coveted Ducati for some time. It’s reported Piech regrets not buying Ducati in 2008 when it was on the brink of bankruptcy. He hasn’t had to wait long to for a second bite at the cherry.
[Source: Car]
9 replies on “Would you buy a Ducaudi?”
Pls let VAG save this iconic brand!
I fear you are reporting this incorrectly. Ducati isn’t “currently some €200m in the red”. That would imply that they are losing money. Ducati is actually a profitable entity, which is why the private equity that currently owns Ducati wants to offload it as that is what PE do. The debt they have is just part of doing business (granted it may be geared higher than optimal due to the type of owner). Go look at any annual reports, most organisations have debt that ensures they are optimising their financial structure.
Also, I read in a motorcycle mag they want €1b…
Yeah, maybe not the most accurate of terms used by me, but the vibe is right.
Sadly for Piech, it ain’t gonna be cheap this time unlike in 2008. And yes, he has openly said in a few interviews in the past that he wants a bike brand, and Ducati is the fav one. I thought he should have bought MV Agusta from Harley last year for a song!
They should make their own like bmw 😉
My fav bike is the bmw s1000rr. If Audi/vag get this hope they can make a bike close to it.
Not sure where the designers will fit that trademark big grill! ;-p
Lol bmw doesn’t have any.kidney on them
Scott, yes they do lol! Check out the GT1600 or whatever that new 6 cylinder Goldwing competitor is called.
[…] Audi buyout of iconic motorcycle maker Ducati we reported on last month is close to being finalised, Reuters reports. It’s understood Audi […]