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A Ducati-Branded Scooter Is Not Blasphemy, and We Might See a MotoGP Replica, Too

Having “Ducati” and “scooter” in the same sentence is already treading on thin ice and is almost taboo for certain fans of Borgo Panigale. However, we might just get to see a Ducati scooter in the not-so-distant future, as CEO Claudio Domenicali sounded way more open to this idea in a recent interview with Italian magazine moto.it.
Claudio Domenicali and the Ducati Scrambler 4 photos
Photo: Ducati
Domenicali and the Scrambler in Milan, 2014Ducati Cruiser 125Ducati Brio 48
Asked directly whether Ducati dismisses the idea of building and selling a scooter, Mr. Domenicali was firm and replied that “having a Ducati-branded scooter is not blasphemy”. Back in the day, when Gabriele del Torchio was the Ducati CEO he used to be rather drastic in denying any interest the brand was rumored to have in the segment, but it looks like the Audi and Domenicali era might have brought a significant change.

Ducati actually made scooters some 60 years ago

Ducati fans know that Borgo Panigale used to manufacture scooters in the ‘50s and ‘60s. Two-wheelers like the Brio 48, Brio 50 and Brio 100 followed the initial Cruiser 175, which was a premium machine back then. For reasons which are better known by Ducati historians, the scooters have not been able to gain the popularity Vespa or Lambretta machinery have been already enjoying then.

While a Ducati scooter still sounds uncanny today, we are sure Borgo Panigale has enough marketing resources to deliver a product which lives up to the high expectations the brand introduces. The scooter or maxi scooter should remain faithful to the principles which have governed Ducati during its history: high-performance, a sporty character and exceptional desirability, if not even outright lust. And we believe this is doable.

A possible MotoGP replica might be on its way

Domenicali admitted that Ducati remains mostly a brand for customers who can afford and will spend more on a bike than the average buyer. He gave the example of the Diavel Titanium, a machine which slots in the premium product zone but which also sells well, just like the Superleggera.

Ducati has sent out preview invitations to 10,000 of its top customers and has sold the 500 Superleggera in a blast, proving that this was a lucrative idea. Still on a very small scale when compared to the sales volumes of BMW, KTM or Japanese makers, these moves are good signals which Ducati uses to guide its future strategies.

And these strategies might include delivering another ultra-exclusive bike, possibly a MotoGP replica of the Desmosedici which would be fielded in the premier class the previous year. Frankly, we doubt we’ll see such machines this fall in Milan, but since Ducati seems determined to up their game, we can hope it will not be too long until the range expands.

After all, one of the best ways to make the whole business grow is to go global and enter new markets, including those where top-dollar bikes would not sell that well, but machines such as scooters or the Scrambler would become stars.
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