Ducati - Rossi - Audi

[1oldbiker]

In all the speculation about whether Rossi, or Hayden for that matter, will stay at Ducati in 2013 or seek their fortunes elsewhere, I suggest the most significant fact is the recent purchase of Ducati by Audi.

Suddenly Ducati potentially have access to funds and research facilities of a well respected motor manufacturer and while the purchase is too recent to have any immediate effect, it would be naive to suggest that Audi do not have a short, medium and long term strategy for this iconic brand.

Audi these days has a lot more credibility and are probably alongside BMW in the desirability stakes. Although BMW have retreated from F1 and now concentrate on World Superbikes, it must be a reasonably safe bet that Audi will want to continue in MotoGP, rather than go head-to-head in Superbikes. Note that Audi concentrate on sports cars, winning Le Mans on a regular basis, rather than F1, although it is possible that they will enter F1 as an engine supplier through the parent VW badge in 2014/15.

Audi have been successful in recent years by careful branding, quality car making and good styling. In Ducati they have bought a quality brand, good styling and they have the engineers to offer fresh input into the current problems of the MotoGP bike. Rossi must know this and although he is keeping relatively quiet for other, obvious reasons, he will be hoping the Audi money will either enable the current Ducati engineers and designers to produce a bike he can ride in 2013, or will replace the current Ducati team with their own, or brought in, engineers.

VW/Audi are not fools and will not just have bought Ducati on whim, although they are currently cash-rich. The all important North American market will benefit from Ducati success and additionally there will be a positive global knock-on effect on both car and bike sales.

[Gar]

Didn't the Audi president who approved the buy get canned shortly after?

[TwoStroke Institute]

Besides diesel LMS cars what performance race cars does Audi make? Ducati could always ask Ferrari and got help and answers .

[Domino]

Besides diesel LMS cars what performance race cars does Audi make? Ducati could always ask Ferrari and got help and answers .

R-8, S-4, RS-4, etc

VW group have access to Lamborghini, Bugatti, VW and Audi's racing departments which would give them a huge boost in terms of engineering knowledge. Whether VW brings that to bear or not is yet to be seen.

[ieism]

Besides diesel LMS cars what performance race cars does Audi make? Ducati could always ask Ferrari and got help and answers .

I think Audi makes quite a few very fast production cars, and had a pretty serious motorsport division employing 160 people just for race development. Besides the diesels they also have a petrol LMS R8. And they've been doing alright in DTM as well, that's the most advanced touring car championship in the world from a technological point of view anyway.

I'm not sure if this will ever be any use to Ducati, but let's say they need help in a specific area, they'd be better off going to Audi motorsport than Ferrari.

[Faster1]

IMO, I don't see Audi doing anything about the gp team,, not as long as the team is playing with Marlboro money. and second, not as long as the WSBK team is doing well. remember that at the "Audi buys Ducati" press conference, there wasn't even an acknowledgement "nod" thrown to the gp team while they were gushing over the SBK team. Not that I know anything but I have no idea why Audi bought Ducati in the first place as there really isn't anything that to be gained in manufacturing/selling cars. Image? sure, it's one of the most respected/recognized names in motorcycles. And Ducati sells bikes regardless of how the gp team does, or if it even exists. But unless the bean counters insist that the gp money pit is a real liability to Audi's bottom line, I see no intervention, both negative or positive in the near future, other than maybe sprucing up the hospitality tents and and offering some fine German cuisine.

[Gar]

I believe they were purchased because the ex-president (or CEO) was huge Ducati fan.

[Squidpuppet]

I believe they were purchased because the ex-president (or CEO) was huge Ducati fan.

Everything I read said the same thing, it was a passion purchase. Analysts were questioning the business sense of the deal.

As far as engineering help from Audi, would they even be able to help? The Duc aint slow, it's all about the handling woes. I mean, bikes and cars are two completely different worlds. I'd assume that the Audi engineers would take many years to learn/understand where Ducati are at right now, let alone offer guidance or remedies.

[Zaphod]

Didn't the Audi president who approved the buy get canned shortly after?

I don't think so, the guy responsible was Ferdinand Piëch. Ex Porsche man (Ferdinand Porsches grandson),was the chairman and CEO of the Volkswagon Group, which he turned into the superpower that it is today. When he retired from that position, he became Chairman of the Supervisory board of the Volkswagon Group.......which is a nice way of being the boss, without technically being the boss.

Engineer and Designer, amognst other things, he designed the Porsche 917, and worked on the Audi WRC group B cars.......the infamous Quattro.


Seems like a very smart cookie.

[JanBros]

And they've been doing alright in DTM as well, that's the most advanced touring car championship in the world from a technological point of view anyway

a racing series with spec suspension

[ieism]

And they've been doing alright in DTM as well, that's the most advanced touring car championship in the world from a technological point of view anyway

a racing series with spec suspension

I suppose we disagree on that then. I think they are very advanced racing cars. More advanced than GT cars in many ways.

[TwoStroke Institute]

Audi would have precious little experience running engines at 18-19,000 rpm Ducati and Ferrari have plenty, other then cold hard cash Audi couldn't offer Ducati much technical knowledge, unless they wanted to make a car.

[Hanuman]

Audi would have precious little experience running engines at 18-19,000 rpm Ducati and Ferrari have plenty, other then cold hard cash Audi couldn't offer Ducati much technical knowledge, unless they wanted to make a car.

Completely agree.

This is about the roadbikes, not the MotoGP effort. I can't see what VW can offer in the way of expertise, or whether they even intend to offer anything.

It seems a vanity exercise for Piech. VAG have billions to splash about (for now).

I can't wait to see the photos of VW execs in suits sitting awkwardly on Panigales or wobbling around on one wearing pristine Daineses.

[dash]

It seems a vanity exercise for Piech. VAG have billions to splash about (for now).

This. Entirely.

Volkswagen group turnover about €160,000,000,000.
Ducati turnover about €500,000,000

Ducati now makes up ~0.3% of VAG. Anyone suggesting this is a strategic acquisition, or attempting to break into new markets, or anything like that is, IMO, utterly wrong.


This is probably a good thing for the MotoGP effort, as they will either a) leave things as they are, or b) decide it looks like good fun and throw some cash at it. Canning race teams is what happens when manufacturers get bought by someone who actually wants to see some return on their investment.

[ieism]

I'm not saying Audi can make a motorcycle. Just that some stuff may be helpfull. Like 160 race engineers, 3 windtunnels, autoclaves, CFD techs, milling machines, testtracks and money. And this is just Audi, not even VW or Porsche.


Ferrari may have a lot of know how, but why would they help Ducati? They need all the resources they have to be competitive in F1, and helping Ducati would only cost them money.

[deckard]

What Ducati really needs is to scrap the 90 degree V4. Perhaps Audi can provide some resources, but most car companies are already starting from the back foot in their understanding of motorcycle engines and their effect on the chassis.

[Squidpuppet]

Hmmm. Will Vroom still happen?