Ducati & Piaggio Merger Rumored from Italy

[Rincewind]

Italian wire service MF suggests that the McKinsey study is at the preliminary stages, but will be examining the possibility of integrating Ducati and Piaggio. The thinking appears to be that major investment could be drummed up for a Ducati/Piaggio super company since such a merger would create a major competitor for the big four Japanese motorcycle makers. Not only would such a company have a a wide range of products -- running the gamut from scooters to SBK competitors and everything in between -- but it'd also have the volume and the manufacturing capacity to tackle emerging markets in Southeast Asia.



http://hellforleathermagazine.com/2010/03/could-ducati-and-piaggio-merge.html

[chornbe]

This is pretty jazzing news.

(Un)Fortunately for the news folks, these kinds of discussions happen ALL the time. The number of companies that "look" at each other for mergers, acquisitions, stock buys, etc., is pretty staggering. My company has looked at DOZENS of companies in the last year alone. We bought two. That something like a 3-4% deal rate. This could be just something like that, or the beginning stages of some very, very interesting times ahead.

With the currency flip-flops globally, and the fact, for instance, a Triumph Daytona 675 is now cheaper in many parts of the world than a Gixxer 600 or R6... yeah, interesting times may indeed be ahead.

$.02

[Yakiman]

Ducatiggio?!  



 

[Orson]

That's all we need, some doofus hipster from Bologna coming up to Mandello asking questions about the secret wind tunnel  

[bomber]

While Chris has it right, I actually think this would be great for Ducati -- Piaggio, if I remember correctly, has damn near always been profitable, and has not required a bailout form the Italian government for, well, months now. ;-}

Ducati makes some wonderful machines -- they could use a good business person or two snooping around the secret wind tunnel. (Is that code, btw?)

[ninegear]

Ducati makes some wonderful machines

dam right. if the two companies merge could we see a drop in the prices of their current bikes.

another thing is what motorcycleing marvels could we see if the two did merge