Wednesday 15th February 2012
PH2: Is Ducati up for sale?
That's what the business press is saying...
Italian superbike manufacturer Ducati could be up for sale this summer - either that or the firm's private equity owners could float the company.
Bloomberg news service reports that Ducati Motor Holding's owners are looking for an 'industrial partner' to sell the company to - and raise 1bn euros (£837m) in the process.
Ducati boss Andrea Bonomi also told the Financial Times on Sunday that several companies in the US and Europe are looking at buying the famous Italian marque. Among the companies in the frame include Volkswagen and possibly even BMW, though VW declined to comment on the matter and BMW is said to be not 'currently' interested in acquiring Ducati.
Harley-Davidson is also on the shortlist of suitors, but given that Harley has recently rid itself of the Buell and MV Agusta brands, it seems unlikely that it would be keen to add a new marquee to its portfolio right now.
Even if Ducati can't find an outright buyer, however, those plans to sell shares in the company to the general public mean that Ducati could soon find itself in new ownership one way or another.
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slk 32
Original Poster
246 posts
62 months
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Antj
531 posts
69 months
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"Even if Ducati can't find an outright buyer, however, those plans to sell shares in the company to the general public mean that Ducati could soon find itself in new ownership one way or another."
Riggers, keep up the great work fella.
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Ray Luxury-Yacht
6,374 posts
85 months
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slk 32 said: Keen to add a new tent? No, looks like it's bigger than a tent - looks like they want to add something big enough to hold a small event in, rather than just to sleep three adults.
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Lebigmac
28 posts
50 months
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my guess is Mercedes-Benz AMG.... everyone who buys an new AMG S-Klasse gets a Duc for free...
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CBR JGWRR
5,074 posts
18 months
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Volksvagen/BMW buying Ducati? Don't like.
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PaulMoor
918 posts
32 months
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Well VW have been thinking about building bikes for a while. I can't realy see it, but if they can do what they have done for Lambo it might not be a bad thing. As for BMW and HD? I just can't see that.
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hostyle
1,026 posts
85 months
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I don't think VW buying Duc would spell disaster. Look at what they've done with Lamborghini. They still make bonkers cars, but now they actually work. And some of the VW top brass are bike nuts.
BMW on the other hand would buy a direct competitor for some of their own bikes...
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dingocooke
476 posts
89 months
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my sisters best friends brother's girlfriends mum has a cleaning job at a newspaper office, and she's heard that Honda want to buy Ducati, or was it the other other way round....;-)
Come on PH reporting other peoples rumours is hardly news is it???
Must be a slow day...
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Gixer_fan
176 posts
67 months
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It'll probably be bought up by some private equity consortium - then leveraged up to the max...
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boyse7en
79 posts
34 months
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It's a bit more than a rumour. The company MD has told the FT that they are looking to sell to a company that can rustle up enough investment for the future.
VW are bound to be the frame as they have been rumoured to be entering the motorcycle market for years, either with their own bike or by buying a brand.
HD have just ditched MV so they won't be interested.
MB might, but doubt it.
BMW, I can't see the point.
Most likely to be another investment firm.
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melvster
5,443 posts
54 months
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hostyle said: I don't think VW buying Duc would spell disaster. Look at what they've done with Lamborghini. They still make bonkers cars, but now they actually work. And some of the VW top brass are bike nuts.
BMW on the other hand would buy a direct competitor for some of their own bikes... Agree, VW buying it would be a good solution, like you say, saved Lamborghini and they still make just as mental cars now as they did in the Countach and Diablo era.
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The Danimal
165 posts
24 months
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I hope Harley stay away after the awful mess they made of "running" MV and Buell. Dear dear.
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Dale Lomas
135 posts
24 months
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Ducati just seems to be one of those brands the 'big boys' are always sniffing around... I'll be interested to see where this goes
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sinbaddio
296 posts
45 months
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John Bloor should buy it....
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3doorPete
6,840 posts
103 months
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Ray Luxury-Yacht said: slk 32 said: Keen to add a new tent? No, looks like it's bigger than a tent - looks like they want to add something big enough to hold a small event in, rather than just to sleep three adults. Perhaps a medium sized event, else they'd opt for a gazebo.
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soad
15,861 posts
45 months
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Just how good does that bike look! 
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UnluckyTimmeh
2,508 posts
82 months
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My guess is Scott Alexander will buy it.
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Pwig
11,022 posts
139 months
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I think Fiat Group should buy them. Got the money, and used to dealing with the Italian Manufacturing 'issues' 
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chazwozza
270 posts
55 months
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Please don't let any yanks buy it. cough, SAAB, cough
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MrFreight
106 posts
18 months
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It should be the FIAT Group as we all must agree that DUCATI compliments the FERRARI range perfectly - will it happen ? Doubt it!
More likely as not our Chinease friends will come a sniffing!
MF
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