Audi 2013 Annual Report Download - page 175

ECONOMIC REPORT
DELIVERIES AND DISTRIBUTION
MANAGEMENT REPORT
172
A
To mark the company’s 50th anniversary, the Lamborghini brand
exhibited the highly exclusive Veneno model at the 2013 Geneva
Motor Show, a limited edition of just three cars. Its design is
consistently geared toward optimum aerodynamics and direc-
tional stability when cornering fast, giving the Veneno the
driving dynamics of a racing prototype. The supercar, which
develops 552 kW (750 hp), is nevertheless approved for road
use. At the end of the year, the Veneno Roadster, the open-top
version of the Veneno – of which nine will be built – was given
its first showing on the Italian aircraft carrier Cavour in the
port of Abu Dhabi.
Deliveries of the Lamborghini Huracán, the successor to the
popular Gallardo, will start in 2014. The new high-performance
model boasts a powerful, dynamic design and achieves a top
speed of over 325 km/h from 449 kW (610 hp) of engine power.
A total of 2,121 (2,083) supercars of the Lamborghini brand
were delivered to customers in the 2013 fiscal year.
/ OTHER VOLKSWAGEN GROUP BRANDS
In the period under review, a total of 173,406 (177,106) ve-
hicles of other Volkswagen Group brands were handed over
to customers via the sales companies VOLKSWAGEN GROUP
ITALIA S.P.A., Verona (Italy), Audi Volkswagen Korea Ltd.,
Seoul (South Korea), AUDI VOLKSWAGEN MIDDLE EAST FZE,
Dubai (United Arab Emirates), and AUDI SINGAPORE PTE. LTD.,
Singapore (Singapore).
/ MOTORCYCLES
The Ducati brand delivered 44,287 (16,786) motorcycles to
customers worldwide in the period under review. The prior-year
figure includes only the bikes delivered after the acquisition of
the Ducati Group in July 2012. A total of 44,102 customers
opted for a motorcycle from the Italian manufacturer in 2012.
The market in 2013 revealed a fall in demand for motorcycles
– in some cases quite sharp – in the displacement segment
above 500 cc that is relevant for Ducati. The Ducati brand was
unable to remain entirely immune to declining demand par-
ticularly in Italy, France and Spain. Nor could the previous
year’s high deliveries total be emulated in the United States,
Ducati’s biggest sales market. In Asia, by contrast, there
was a further upturn in demand for motorcycles of the
Ducati brand.
Motorcycle deliveries to customers
2013 2012 1)
Naked/Sport Cruiser
(Diavel, Monster, Streetfighter) 21,889 9,385
Dual/H d,
Multistrada) 13,647 3,263
Sport (Superbike) 8,751 4,138
Ducati brand 44,287 16,786
Motorcycles segment 44,287 16,786
1) The prior-year figures refer to the period July through December 2012 following initial
consolidation in July 2012.
Ducati is regarded as one of the world’s leading premium motor-
cycle manufacturers. The sports bikes from the Italian manu-
facturer enjoy worldwide appeal thanks to their unmistakable
design, low weight and the legendary two-cylinder engine with
desmodromic valve control. Ducati’s product portfolio comprises
the six model lines Diavel, Hypermotard, Monster, Multistrada,
Streetfighter and Superbike.
The Ducati brand introduced a large number of new models
onto the markets in 2013. For example, the Diavel family was
extended by the Diavel Strada and Diavel Dark models. The
high-performance, versatile new models come with various
freely selectable riding modes – Urban, Touring, Sport – which
enable the rider to tailor the operating dynamics to their per-
sonal preferences.
The main attributes of the new Hyper series, comprising the
Hypermotard, Hypermotard SP and Hyperstrada, are sporty
handling characteristics and exceptional versatility. With
windshield, side cases and improved ergonomics, the Ducati
Hyperstrada, for example, offers an array of touring features
designed to enhance riding enjoyment and comfort over longer
rides, too.
The new Multistrada 1200 S Granturismo likewise has a strong
touring emphasis; thanks to the innovative Ducati Skyhook
Suspension (DSS) it maintains optimally smooth running even
on difficult surfaces, making for a very comfortable ride. The
side cases with 73 liters of luggage capacity, top case and
engine safety bar equip the ergonomically optimized model
perfectly for virtually any operating conditions.
For uncompromising sportiness, there is the 1199 Panigale R –
the new top model of the Ducati Superbike family. Its two-
cylinder engine produces 143 kW (195 hp); with a ready-for-
road weight of only 189 kilograms, it is capable of an excep-
tionally high performance. In fall 2013, Ducati also brought
the new 899 Panigale onto the markets, adding an extremely
maneuverable and light midsize model to the Superbike family.