Ducati plans to ramp up dealership network in India

Italian superbike maker Ducati today said it plans to ramp up its India operations, as it targets to sell up to 150 units of its high-end motorcycles costing up to Rs 45 lakh, in 2010.

"Before launching the brand in a big way, we wanted to be sure about having a right position, a right organisation and a right market, and now we are quite satisfied. We hope to sell around 100-150 units during 2010 in India," Ducati CEO (Asia Pacific) Mirko Bordiga told reporters here.

Ducati offers its entire range of products such as Hypermotard, Monster, Sport Classic, Street Fighter and Desmosedici RR to Indian customer. The bikes powered by 696- 1,198cc engines are available between Rs 10-45 lakh.

In order to meet its sales target, the company would ramp up its dealership network in the country next year, he said. "Today we opened our second Indian dealership in Gurgaon and next year we will open four more dealerships in Hyderabad, Bangalore, Kolkata and Chennai, thus covering main metros."

The company, which started India operations in May 2008, has earlier opened one dealership in Mumbai. Since start of operations, it has sold about 30 units, of which Monster has accounted for maximum share.

"In any emerging market, initially the growth rate is high although the actual volume may be low. The initial buyers act as drivers for others to come and buy this kind of luxury bikes," Bordiga said.

Ducati, which globally has seven families of bikes in 14 different variants, sources some components such as cables, from India.

Regarding Ducati's global operations, Bordiga said that 2009 was a difficult year with the company facing problems in markets like the US.