Ducati sets out future plans with huge €121m motorcycle R&D investment

Ducati has secured a €121m (around £104m) investment fund to strengthen competitiveness, innovation and growth through its new project, ‘Ducati Raise the Bar’. 

Ducati says the new programme will focus heavily on the company’s R&D (Research and Development) sector, as well as technical innovation. The Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy authorised the new agreement, according to Ducati, which includes a non-repayable grant from the Ministry of €33.5m, which converts to roughly £28.7m. This means that just over 25 per cent of the programme will be funded by the government ministry.

What all of this indicates is that Ducati, despite ongoing rumours of the company being sold by current owners Volkswagen AG, is set to invest heavily in the development of future motorcycles, its racing programmes, and the company’s wider business operations. 

At the heart of Ducati’s new programme will be “industrial research and experimental development”, with the Bologna-based company allocating €99m (around £85m) to this particular sector.

Alongside the research and development plan, which Ducati hopes will strengthen its position as one of the biggest motorcycle brands in the world, the programme is also about contributing to local areas in Italy.

Speaking about this subject, Ducati goes on to say that “the initiative is aimed at strengthening the Company's global competitiveness over the long term, confirming Ducati's role as a leading player in the international motorcycle industry while contributing to value creation for the local area, Italy's Motor Valley and the entire Italian industrial supply chain.”

Ducati’s new investment plan will also be felt heavily across its racing programmes, as the Italian marque is considered to be one of the most technologically advanced when it comes to its race machines. 

That is particularly true with regards to MotoGP, as Ducati was the first brand to reveal the current modern-day winglets that are now a feature on all MotoGP bikes.

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