Volkswagen Group chooses Audi for Ducati superbikes ownership and Daimler isn’t sitting quiet

Volkswagen Group’s Audi luxury car brand is in talks to acquire Italian motorcycle manufacturers Ducati Motor Holdings to their name while on their way to strive to become the world’s largest car manufacturers by 2018.

According to the Car, an UK auto magazine, Audi is contemplating a buyout and would be investing millions in cash and debt to gain complete control.  Chairman of Volkswagen, Ferdinand Piech has shown interest in purchasing Ducati in April of 2008.  By purchasing Ducati, the company would be adding a two-wheeler company to their list of esteemed brands, which includes Audi, Skoda, Lamborghini, etc.  This will allow the VW Group to tap into Ducati’s engine technology.

Besides VW, India’s Hero MotoCorp Limited, India’s largest two wheeler company too has shown particular interest in acquiring Ducati as they are looking to overseas expansions in the coming years.  This apart, Indian utility vehicles major Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) too have shown interest, not to forget Daimler, which would do well to add a two wheeler line-up to their group. Presently, daimler’s AMG unit has a cross-promotional deal with Ducati.

BMW operates BMW Motorrad in the premium motorcycles market, and as such, it’s quite natural to see Daimler and the Volkswagen Group willing to make headway in this sector. In case of Daimler, there is no clarity on how a motorcycle venture would be branded, i.e., under Mercedes-Benz, or Daimler.