Ducati's Multistrada 1200 S Touring. Image: Ducati
Multiple sources are reporting that Audi has completed its due diligence of Italian motorcycle maker Ducati, and is set to move forward with the purchase of the company. Reuters quotes a pair of inside sources as saying the deal will be announced next Wednesday, April 18, one day before Volkswagen Group’s annual shareholders meeting.
The transaction was also confirmed by Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera, which claims that Audi has exclusivity in negotiation for Ducati until April 15, after which Ducati’s major stockholder can engage other prospective buyers in discussion. In other words, it’s likely that the details of the purchase will be worked out by April 14.
Ironically, it was that primary stockholder, an industrial buyout firm named Investindustrial, that beat Audi for the rights to buy Ducati in 2005, the last time the motorcycle manufacturer was on the market.
While some may question the logic behind a luxury automobile manufacturer purchasing a motorcycle manufacturer, owning a two-wheel brand would give Audi the chance to compete against rival BMW in another market segment. Ducati also has engine expertise that could help companies like Volkswagen and Audi squeeze more power and greater fuel efficiency from their engines.
Kurt Ernst has been passionate about automobiles and driving nearly his entire life. His early years were shaped working in the family service station, though his real passion was auto racing. After graduating from the University of Colorado, Kurt spent a year club racing with the Sports Car Club of America, before focusing on a business career in marketing and project management. Later, his passion for writing and the automotive hobby found him freelancing for a variety of automotive news sites, including Automotive Addicts and Motor Authority, where his work was syndicated and appeared in several national publications. Recognized as an expert in the automotive field, Kurt joined Hemmings Motor News as an Associate Editor in 2013, and in the years since has progressed to Editor, Hemmings Daily; Managing Editor for Hemmings Motor News, Hemmings Classic Car, Hemmings Muscle Machines, and the Hemmings Daily; and now, Managing Editor, Hemmings Auctions. Kurt was instrumental in organizing the Hemmings Motor News Concours d’Elegance from 2013-2019, and has served as a judge at this event and The Vintage Racing Stable Concours d’Elegance. A Skip Barber Racing School graduate and prolific writer, Ernst is also skilled in copyediting, project management, brand development, and public relations.
