Volkswagen is reviewing whether to sell Ducati, its Italian motorcycle subsidiary, as part of a broader restructuring that includes plans to eliminate roughly 50,000 jobs and reduce its vehicle lineup by half. Audi CEO Gernot Döllner confirmed the possibility in a recent interview, saying the brand will be part of an “evaluation process,” though he stressed that “nothing has been decided.”
The potential divestment follows Volkswagen’s announcement last week that about a third of its “non-strategic activities” would be “divested or realigned.” The company said it wants to focus on businesses that deliver a “clear strategic and financial contribution to the core business.” Bloomberg estimates Ducati could be worth around €1.25 billion, or approximately $1.45 billion.
Ducati, which traces its roots to 1926, became the eleventh brand in the Volkswagen Group portfolio on July 19, 2012. Last year, the motorcycle maker delivered 50,895 bikes globally, a 7% decline from the prior year. The Multistrada was its best-selling model with 13,873 units sold, followed by the Panigale at 10,606 and the Scrambler at 5,814.
The brand posted an operating profit of €52 million last year, a 42.8% drop from the previous year. Ducati attributed the decline to unfavorable exchange rates and tariffs imposed by the Trump administration. Despite the profit slump, the estimated sale price reflects the brand’s strong market position and heritage in the premium motorcycle segment.
In a separate development, Döllner confirmed that Audi is still considering moving some production to the United States. The company is evaluating two potential sites: Scout’s new plant in Blythewood, South Carolina, and Volkswagen’s existing factory in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Döllner said Audi needs to think about producing “at least some” SUVs in America, noting that the company currently builds no vehicles in the U.S., which puts it at a disadvantage under current tariff conditions.
This stands in contrast to German rivals BMW and Mercedes, which operate large SUV plants near Spartanburg, South Carolina, and Tuscaloosa, Alabama, respectively. A decision on both Ducati’s future and Audi’s U.S. production plans has not yet been announced, but the evaluations signal the depth of Volkswagen’s ongoing corporate overhaul.