"Ducati remains Ducati" says Audi boss
In a bid to quell rumours that changes are afoot at Ducati, the Audi CEO attempts to set the record straight in an address to company staffWhen Audi confirmed its intention to buy Ducati and subsequently paid just over a billion dollars for the company, the Ducati faithful were duly concerned -- would Audi make wholesale changes to the exotic brand?
A large portion of the feedback received at the Bikesales Network indicated that readers expected Ducati to lose its 'soul' with a German owner, but during a visit to the Ducati factory in Italy where he addressed workers, Audi CEO Rupert Stadler said the company will remain true to its roots.
"This brings me to an important message that I would like to leave with you today. A message that is certainly uppermost in your minds. Ladies and gentlemen, this message consists of three words and you have my guarantee: Ducati remains Ducati."
However Stadler did hint that there will be technology sharing between Audi (and by extension Volkswagen) and Ducati
"There are many joint opportunities with high-performance engines, light-weight manufacturing and the skilled interplay between two strong brands on the global stage. Both companies, each with an eventful history of 'ups' and 'downs', can now benefit from being part of one big family – the Volkswagen Group.
"Audi and Ducati are both driven by the same passion. Neither of us will detract from the other, we will complement one another. And one very important aspect that means a lot to me is that we can be an inspiration to each other."
Mr Stadler also attempted to explain the company's reason behind the Ducati take-over.
"You’ve probably wondered why we were interested in Ducati, a car manufacturer with no apparent ties to Ducati at first glance. But that's only at first glance. Ducati stands for extraordinary engineering artistry, passion, precision, performance and the sheer joy of living. We're impressed by these achievements."
While the Audi boss says "Ducati remains Ducati," there will inevitably be minor changes to the way the company approaches motorcycle design and development in the future.
Time will tell if Ducati's new boss will have an effect on its motorcycles.
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