Ducati’s smallest motorcycle right now is the Scrambler Sixty2.
The Ducati brand is known around the world as a performance oriented, big capacity motorcycle maker. Like BMW Motorrad, the Italian manufacturer is planning to enter the lucrative small capacity motorcycle market in association with an Indian brand, reports Economic Times.
European manufacturers have shown tremendous potential after tying up with Asian partners. KTM’s rise after the Bajaj tie-up is a living example. Their entry level products ranging from the KTM Duke 125 to the KTM RC390 have been a hit not just in emerging markets but also in developed markets like Europe and the United States.
Speaking about possible tie-up with Indian brands in the future, Mr Andrea Buzzoni, Global Sales and Marketing Director, Ducati, said:
These thoughts could become a reality in the medium to long term. In India, you have robust two-wheeler players, who have competence in terms of engineering, production capacity. Once we take this decision, why not... But for sure, if we decide for the small-cc motorcycle segment, I think we will have to evaluate on a very competent Indian manufacturer
With sales ranging around 55,000 units a year, Ducati’s entry into the 250-500 cc segment can mean a significant jump in sales volumes. Ducati's entry-level motorcycle is the Scrambler Sixty2 which gets a 399 cc L-twin, Desmodromic, an air-cooled mill, coupled to a 6-speed gearbox. The engine is capable of producing 40 hp of maximum power at 8,750 rpm and 34.6 Nm of peak torque at 8,000 rpm.
Ducati’s sole assembly facility in Asia is located in Thailand. There have been reports that Ducati is planning to open a manufacturing facility in India and if the plan materialises, models assembled in India get cheaper.
[Source: Economic Times]
