DUCATI
Brand
DUCATIDucati was founded in 1926 by Adriano, Bruno and Marcello Ducati. At the time, the three brothers were producing radios and capacitors.
The company was destroyed by shelling in 1944. However, the Ducati brothers did not give up and began producing motorcycles in 1946 with the Cucciolo presented to the general public at the Milan motor show. It will be sold in mounting box to fit on the bicycle.
Then in 1952 the first scooter produced by Ducati was produced. From 1953 to 1955 Ducati focused on low-cylinder models and was a great success.
With the arrival of Fabio Taglioni, an engineer, in 1954, the cylinders will increase and focus on competitions. This is the beginning of a glorious era. In 1960, Mike Hailwood asked Ducati to make him a machine capable of winning everything and the 250cc Desmo was born.
Then, in the 1960s, Ducati reduced these sales to the benefit of the competition.
In 1964 Ducati produced increasingly sophisticated and fast bikes for the competition. The 250 Mark3D reaches 150 km/h and the famous 450 Mark3D passes the 170 mark which is mind-boggling for a standard machine.
From 1970 to 1983 and following numerous victories, the 750 competition will be the origin of an exceptional 750 sports, the Super Sport.
In 1983 the company was in serious financial difficulty. It was bought by the Cagiva Group and the Castiglioni brothers. It's the beginning of the Superbike.
Until 1993 the brand competed more and more and focused on having a more targeted clientele.
In 1993 Miguel Galuzzi, designed for Ducati "Mostro". It is the beginning of a true myth that continues and remains the biggest commercial success of the brand.
In September 1996, Ducati was acquired by the American investment fund Texas Pacific Group. Ducati increases its production from 12,000 motorcycles to 40,000 motorcycles in four years.
The brand will be acquired by Audi in 2012.