A recently-released financial report from Ducati reveals the firm plans to get a little more aggressive with its marketing over coming years, and plans to introduce 10 new models - three each in 2008 and 2009, plus a further four in 2010. It goes on to say the pace will be lifted from 2011.
This year's launches will include one model each from the naked, large sports and small sports segments.
The report, presented to the financial community in Milan on 16 January, makes for interesting reading, as the company is brutally frank about its past mistakes. Looking at the slump in superbike sales from 12,500 in 2005 to a mere 5000 in 2006, the firm identifies a series of problems, including quality issues, overly long development times and questionable model mixes.
It nevertheless was able to point to 2007 as being a success, with total bikes sales breaking the 40,000 mark and winning the much-coveted MotoGP title for the first time.
The company predicts Australia will increase its share of the world market for 400cc-plus bikes from 2% in 2006 to 4% in 2010.
Overall the firm hopes to recover to its year 2000 market share (6%) by 2009 and increase its numbers from there. The target for 2010 is 54,000 sales, with a mix of 30% for dualsport, 40% naked bikes and 30% superbikes. Sport touring machines (currently around 7% of sales) do not feature.
Website: www.ducati.com