Ducati has had a great 2018 as its global sales strengthened which helped the Italian motorcycle brand to lead in the superbike segment worldwide. There were factors behind the incredible sales figure of the company last year.
Ducati Motor Holding got no less than 53,004 motorcycles delivered to their respective owners across the globe. It’s a big milestone for the company as it has broken the 50k barrier after four running years. It was in 2015 when Ducati first reached the 50,000-bike threshold.
Speaking about this achievement, Claudio Domenicali, CEO of Ducati Motor Holding, said, “While 2018 was challenging for the big motorcycles market, with slowdowns in important countries like the US, Ducati had, by the end of the year, delivered over 53,000 bikes to customers worldwide, consolidating the growth achieved in recent years. In 2018 we achieved stability and the year was positive both in terms of business and racing. We won numerous MotoGP races and developed an exceptional bike. In short, the solidity of the company remains undisputed, as does our penchant for driving ahead with innovation and product development so we can, over the coming years, continue offering customers new icons of style and technology.”
The major contribution in the total sales has been of the new Panigale family. Ducati sold 9,700 Panigale bikes in 2018; it’s a 70% increase when compared to the previous year. This high number enabled Ducati to become the leader of the superbike segment for the very first time. Ducati has had a market share of over 26% in 2018. Imagine, out of every 4 superbikes sold last year, 1 was a Panigale.
The undisputed flagship of the Panigale family is the V4, the first production Ducati motorcycle which mounts a 4-pot engine. In just twelve months it has set a new standard for style, technology, and performance, with over 6,100 motorcycles delivered across the globe.
Equally successful was the Multistrada family, with a sales figure of 11,829 units. The family saw the addition of the new Multistrada 1260, thanks to which sales soared by 25% (compared to 2017), with no less than 6,569 bikes sold.
Compared to data sales in 2017 (55,871 bikes), Ducati experienced a slight drop of 5% against the backdrop of an over 500 cc motorcycle market that shrank by some 3%. Yet thanks to the Panigale and Multistrada families, last year saw the Bologna-based bike manufacturer reinforce its position on the high-end market.
“To rise to new market challenges”, adds Francesco Milicia, Global Sales Director, “we’re working to make our sales network more efficient than ever. For 2019 we’ve also overhauled the Scrambler 800 range – which, among other things, has received a major active safety boost in the form of cornering ABS – and launched new products such as the Diavel 1260 and Hypermotard 950. The Multistrada family saw the arrival of the 1260 Enduro and 950 S, giving customers a wider choice than ever. Lastly, we’ve introduced the V4 R, the most powerful, highest-tech superbike ever built by Ducati to provide a foundation for renewed competitiveness in the WorldSBK championship. Needless to say, its already proved to be a big hit with Ducatisti. In total, we’re talking about nine new models that allow us to look to the future with confidence.”
Italy became Ducati’s largest market once again as the brand sold 9,200 bikes in the country stating a growth of 4.5%. Ducati also reported growth in various other countries like Spain (8%), Japan (2%), and Switzerland (2.2%). Asian markets also proved to be beneficial for Ducati; 29% growth was reported in China alone where a new direct branch has been established and the sales network has expanded from 19 to 23 dealerships. While there was growth in many areas, Ducati experienced a 9% plunge in total sales in the USA which was historically Ducati’s number one market. The brand sold 7,843 bikes here.
