Another sign of the Audi-Ducati relationship has popped up at the motorcycle manufacturer’s headquarters in Bologna, Italy.

Pictured here is an Audi A1 sports hatchback dressed in paint inspired by the Ducati 1199 Panigale S Tricolore. The special color scheme includes the Ducati logo on the hood, Italian red, white and green striping and red alloy wheels.

It’s not clear at this point if this is merely a promotional concept or if there are plans for a special edition version. If Audi does decide to produce a special edition A1 Ducati, we hope they do away with the large hood logo and go with a more understated look. The Panigale is eye-catching already, moreso in the Tricolore colors, but the badging is at least much more subtle than on this A1. Continue Reading »

Audi has confirmed it paid 747 million euros (US$919.1 million) for Ducati, a much lower price than initially reported at the time of the sale.

The official purchase price was announced in Audi’s interim financial report for the first half of 2012. The 747 million euro price tag for Ducati is close to the 750 million euro figure reportedly tabled by Audi in late March. When news of an impending deal emerged in April, the purchase price had reportedly risen to 860 million euros. That no longer appears to be the case however.

The interim report also re-affirms Ducati will be recognized as a property of Lamborghini which in turn is a subsidiary of Audi. It was previously announced Ducati Chief Executive Gabriele Del Torchio will not only remain in his post but also assume a seat on Lamborghini’s board of directors. All three brands fall under the much broader corporate umbrella of the Volkswagen Group. Continue Reading »

The European Union has granted approval of Audi‘s acquisition of Ducati, removing any legal barriers to the sale. The approval was expected, but an official decision was nevertheless required before the transaction could proceed.

The acquisition was announced in April but the deal was still subject to examination by anti-trust authorities. That approval came June 28 as the European Commission, the executive body of the E.U. officially granted its blessing. The Commission examined the deal under the simplified merger review procedure ruled the acquisition “does not raise serious doubts as to its compatibility with the common market” (also known as Article 6(1)(b) of the E.U. Merger Regulation.) Continue Reading »

Audi‘s purchase of Ducati is still waiting for regulatory approval but that hasn’t stopped the two companies from taking advantage of their impending union. Audi will make its presence known at the upcoming World Ducati Week celebrations, June 21-24 at the newly-renamed Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli.

The German automaker will supply a range of cars to Ducati staff and management during World Ducati Week, and show off some of its high-end models such as the S6, S8 and the Audi R8 LMS (pictured above).

Audi will also hold a raffle for rides around the Misano circuit with professional drivers behind the wheels of a 500+ hp R8 LMS or R8 V10. Continue Reading »

Audi‘s window for exclusive negotiation rights with Ducati has closed, but the German automaker is still expected to announce the acquisition of the Italian motorcycle brand this week.

Volkswagen-owned Audi had exclusive rights to discuss acquiring Ducati until April 15, and though other suitors may now begin negotiations, Audi remains the front-runner. Last week, Reuters reported a deal could be announced as soon as April 18, the day before the Volkswagen Group’s annual shareholder meeting.

Andrea Bonomi, head of Ducati’s primary owners Investindustrial, told reporters the Volkswagen Group “has demonstrated in the past that it has the money, the technology and the long-term vision.” Continue Reading »

Audi has offered 750 million euros (US$995 million) for Ducati, according to a report from Italian publication Corriere di Bologna.

The offer is reportedly also include Ducati‘s debts. Corriere reports those debts may turn out to be much lower than the 200 million euro estimate that was being passed around in rumors.

The offer is lower than the 1 billion euro asking price Ducati’s current owners Investindustrial were reportedly seeking, but it may prove to be enough. At 750 million euros, Investindustrial could still stand to double its original investment when it first acquired Ducati from Texas Pacific Group in 2005. Continue Reading »

Last month, news broke that Ducati is once again up for sale, with its owner, private equity firm Investindustrial is looking for a “world-class industrial partner” for the noted Italian manufacturer. Since then, a number of potential suitors have popped up as being interested in acquiring Ducati.

Audi has reportedly cut to the front of the queue to negotiate with Investindustrial. Audi is reportedly offering somewhere in the area of 850 million euro (US$1.1 billion), which is below the 1 billion euros Investindustrial is said to be seeking. The 850 million euro however includes absorbing about 800 million euro in debt. Audi still has a month to finalize its offer though, and unless a deal is struck, Ducati may still be on the market.

Here now is a look at some of the companies whose names have been linked to the Bolognese brand. Some of these companies have expressed some interest in buying Ducati, some have denied any interest, and some were only named because, and let’s face it folks, rumors are fun.

Related Reading
Investindustrial to Sell Ducati
Audi Poised to Buy Ducati

German automaker Audi is reportedly in exclusive discussions with Investindustrial to acquire Ducati.

British automotive publication CAR Magazine cites high-level sources within Audi in reporting the car maker has won first dibs to negotiate a deal. Audi reportedly has until mid-April to decide whether to buy out Ducati.

Investindustrial is reportedly asking for a billion euros (US$1.3 billion) for Ducati but Car reports Audi is offering just about 850 million euros (US$1.1 billion) while agreeing to pick up the tab on Ducati’s billion dollar deficit (estimated at about almost 800 million euros).

Continue Reading »

Months of rumors and a more credible report yesterday have culminated in the official news that Volkswagen will take a 20 percent share in Japanese automaker Suzuki, worth $2.5 billion. Volkswagen has its sights set on becoming the world’s largest automaker and with Suzuli’s small-car expertise, it hopes to make a large expansion into developing markets, like India.

Continue Reading »

Volkswagen has been teasing Birkenstock wearing Grateful Dead fans for years with futuristic yet retro-inspired concepts of their famed Micro-bus. Discussion and speculation have been passed around bongs like bags of Doritos for years about whether or not the cherished hippie mover will ever be resurrected. Will they build it? Won’t they? Who knows? This image of a Volkswagen motorcycle concept emerged last spring but apparently still hasn’t sprung into anything more than speculation either. The potential for success could be significant if the project did in fact get the green light but like the Micro-bus, it may never see the light of day. Continue Reading »