Rumors about Volkswagen Group possibly selling off some of its high-performance, gas-guzzling brands, Ducati and Lamborghini, have been circulating for a few months now. The rumor was fueled by VW plan of focusing on greener, electrically-propelled mobility solutions for the future. Unfortunately, the two brands have no electric prototypes that align with the group's green ambition.
However, in a recent corporate announcement, VW Group shared that it will keep the Ducati and Lamborghini for now.
“There is agreement on the Board that Lamborghini and Ducati will remain part of the Volkswagen Group,” said the German conglomerate.
Additionally, VW is set to transform its headquarters in Wolfsburg, Germany, to become the pioneering factory for the highly automated manufacture of electric vehicles in the world.
Ducati's past owners
The Ducati brand has a long history of changing hands before the VW Group acquired the company back in 2012. Ducati was originally established in 1926 by Antonio Cavalieri Ducati and his three sons, Adriano, Marcello, and Bruno. The company first manufactured vacuum tubes, condensers, and other radio components of the era.
The company began producing small motorcycles after the war. In the 1960s, it produced 250cc motorcycles which were considered to be the fast at the time. In 1985, Cagiva, another Italian company, bought Ducati. After 11 years, Ducati was sold to the US-based Texas Pacific Group (TPG), where it remained until 2005, when VW acquired it.
This is not the first time Ducati was in danger of being sold. In 2017, rumor of Ducati's sale circulated. In response, brands like Harley-Davidson and Bajaj expressed interest in acquiring. Fortunately, the board of directors put a stop to its sale, citing the brand's value in the group's portfolio.
