2008 Ducati Monster on 2040-motos

Moto blog

Ducati 1199 Panigale Superquadro Engine to Power Volkswagen XL1 Sport

Ever since Audi acquired Ducati, we’ve been anticipating the first cross-brand technological developments between the Italian motorcycle maker and the German automaker. Sure, there have been some cross-promotional tie-ins, but we’ve been waiting with baited breath to see what Audi, and its parent company the Volkswagen Group, had planned with Ducati‘s small engine technology. Well we don’t have to wait for much longer, as VW Chief Executive Officer Ferdinand Piech revealed the first product of the “DucAudi” union in a speech at the University of Vienna: a new sports car concept called the Volkswagen XL Sport powered by the Superquadro engine from the Ducati 1199 Panigale.

Audi Officially Announces Ducati Purchase

Audi has officially announced it has acquired Ducati Motor Holding from Investindustrial. Terms of the deal were not announced, though they should be made available April 19 at the annual stockholders meeting for Audi’s parent company, the Volkswagen Group. Previous reports have the price pegged at 860 million euros (US$1.1 billion).

Casey Stoner to Retire After 2012 MotoGP Season

Two-time MotoGP World Champion Casey Stoner has announced he will retire following the end of the 2012 season. Rumors of Stoner’s impending retirement plans have been floating around for weeks with the 26-year-old Repsol Honda racer saying he will continue racing until he no longer enjoyed it. That seems to be the case now as the 2007 and 2011 MotoGP Champion announced he will retire at a press conference ahead of this weekend’s French Grand Prix at Le Mans.