Ducati and Volkswagen Group España Distribución today launched the project that will see the Volkswagen Group’s Spanish subsidiary become the official importer for the Ducati brand in Spain and Portugal – except for the Canary Islands – as of January 1, 2024. The presentation took place in Madrid, in an event attended by Claudio Domenicali, CEO of Ducati Motor Holding; Francesco Milicia, Ducati’s VP Global Sales and After Sales; Francisco Pérez Botello, President of Volkswagen Group España Distribución; and Carlos T. López Panisello, Ducati General Manager for Spain and Portugal.

The event was attended by over a hundred guests including specialized and corporate media, managers of Volkswagen Group companies in Spain and the Spanish associations of car manufacturers (Anfac) and the two-wheeler sector (Anesdor). A number of motorcycles in the Ducati range were on display for the occasion, including a Multistrada V4 Rally, a Scrambler Ducati Icon and a Streetfighter V4 S, along with a selection of Ducati apparel and accessories, and a replica of the Desmosedici GP23 ridden by reigning MotoGP World Champion Francesco Bagnaia.

During the press conference that took place during the event, the president of Volkswagen Group España Distribución, Francisco Pérez Botello, thanked the Volkswagen Group and Ducati for the trust placed in the company. “We are given an extraordinary opportunity to continue growing as a company and to take Ducati into a new era in the Iberian market,” he added.

On his part, Ducati’s general manager for Spain and Portugal, Carlos T. López Panisello, said that the brand’s strategic priorities will focus on strengthening its upper-premium character and placing the customer at the center. He also anticipated that the objective from a commercial point of view is to position the Iberian market as the second most important market for Ducati in Europe.

Claudio Domenicali, the CEO of Ducati Motor Holding, closed the press conference by highlighting the extraordinary moment the brand is going through both in the financial and sporting spheres, and he affirmed: “Working with Volkswagen Group España Distribución will give us the opportunity to create an even closer relation with our enthusiasts in Spain and Portugal, thanks to the strong presence in the market that the company has, together with a talented team as well as the innovation and digitalisation of its services”.

Domenicali took the opportunity also to thank Desmotron, the current importer that will terminate its operations with Ducati at the end of 2023, for the work done for the brand in the Spanish and Portuguese markets in over 20 years of cooperation.

Just as Ducati is integrated into the Volkswagen Group’s international structure within the Brands Group led by Audi, Ducati will also be under the umbrella of the Audi Division within Volkswagen Group España Distribución, as there are important synergies between the two brands that will be developed in the coming years. López Panisello will report to Audi Spain General Manager José Miguel Aparicio.