Volkswagen considers selling Ducati as part of a large-scale business review
German automotive concern Volkswagen is considering the sale of Italian motorcycle manufacturer Ducati as part of a major review of its asset portfolio. A final decision on the brand's future has not yet been made.
Audi CEO Gernot Döllner said this while commenting on the restructuring of the Volkswagen Group structure.
Ducati is among roughly 600 businesses out of about 2,000 assets and areas of activity in the group that are currently being assessed for strategic importance, profitability, and the need for further investment.
According to Döllner, discussions about Ducati's future are part of this process, but a sale decision has not yet been made.
Bloomberg Intelligence analyst Michael Dean estimates Ducati's potential value could be around €1.25 billion, based on valuations of comparable companies.
Volkswagen reduces business complexity
The asset review comes amid one of the largest restructurings in Volkswagen's history. The concern is trying to cut costs, simplify the group structure, and focus capital on the most strategically important areas.
Volkswagen faces weaker demand in Europe, increased competition from Chinese manufacturers, trade barriers, and significant costs for the transition to electric vehicles and software. The company has also recently agreed to a new phase of staff reductions and plans to significantly trim its model lineup.
Selling individual assets could become another tool to simplify the group structure and free up capital for the core automotive business.
Ducati remains profitable
A possible sale of Ducati is not related to a critical financial situation of the motorcycle maker itself. For 2025, the company reported €925 million in revenue and €52 million in operating profit. Operating margin was 5.6%.
However, indicators deteriorated compared to the previous year. In 2024, Ducati's revenue was just over €1 billion and operating profit was €91 million. In 2025, the company delivered 50,895 motorcycles to customers, about 7% fewer than the year before.
Ducati attributed the decline in results to a general downturn in the motorcycle market, U.S. tariffs, unfavorable exchange rates, and the transition to the new Euro 5+ environmental standard.
Despite this, the company remained profitable and continues to invest in the renewal of its model range. In 2026, Ducati also celebrates the brand's centenary.
Ducati has been owned by Volkswagen for over ten years
Volkswagen gained control of Ducati in 2012 through Audi. At the time, the acquisition of the Italian sport motorcycle manufacturer marked the German group's entry into the two-wheeler market.
Currently, Ducati is part of Volkswagen Group's premium segment together with Audi, Bentley, and Lamborghini. In the group structure, the brand is controlled by Audi.
Rumors about a possible Ducati sale have circulated before, but Volkswagen has not launched a public sale process until now. The current situation is different in that the Audi CEO has directly confirmed that Ducati's future is indeed being considered as part of the overall assessment of the group's assets.
Sources: Bloomberg, Investing.com, Ducati
