Ducati Motor Captures Biggest Internet Sales In Italian History
5 January 2000
Ducati Motor Captures Biggest Internet Sales In Italian History; MH900e Year 2000 Production Sells Out Within HoursBOLOGt sales in Italian history and became the first motorcycle manufacturer to ever launch a new production motorcycle on the worldwide web. Orders for Ducati's latest model, the MH900evoluzione, became available on-line on the official Ducati web site (http://www.ducati.com) with the start of the new millennium at 00:01 a.m. GMT. Within hours, the entire first-year production sold out to Ducati enthusiasts all over the world. Ducati fans from all corners of the world had waited anxiously for the start of the new year to reserve their limited-edition bike. About 38 percent of the sales came from Japan, while North America and Europe each accounted for about 30 percent of MH900e sales. The remaining orders came from as far away as Australia and New Zealand. Arthur Andersen and IBM were two of Ducati's partners in this history-making initiative. "Ducati is thrilled about the wild success of the sale of the MH900e on the Internet," said Federico Minoli, Ducati Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. "We always thought that the Internet would be the best way to take the excitement of the MH900e -- which celebrates our decade-long racing heritage and commitment to performance -- directly to our enthusiasts. But even I have to admit, the response of our Ducatisti has beaten my expectations ... now, we are looking forward to everyone taking their first test drives when the bikes arrive this summer." In addition to selling out production for this year, hundreds of future reservations were taken for subsequent model years. The success of the MH900e sale on the Internet, as well as Ducati's other exciting initiatives on-line -- including its official web site (which receives 150,000 hits a day) and its racing parts auction Desmobid -- clearly demonstrate the power of the Ducati brand with the Internet. Ducati plans to take full advantage of future possibilities of using the net for its strategic development. All that Ducati enthusiasts wishing to buy the MH900e have to do is click on the official web site and follow the instructions. To reserve the motorcycle, Ducatisti must leave a 10 percent deposit on the bike, which costs 15,000 Euro (about $15,000), using their credit card (American Express, Visa, Master Card, Diners or JCB). Once confirmed, the MH900e will be sent to the Ducati dealer pre-selected by the buyer. The dealer will conduct the final checks on the bike before handing over the keys. The MH900evoluzione is a hand-built, limited-production motorcycle, recalling the racing days of Mike Hailwood on the Isle of Man. Pierre Terblanche, Chief Designer of the DucatiDesign Center, describes the bike as "neo classical," focusing on the essential elements of traditional motorcycle beauty and clean lines, which represent the renaissance period of Italian and English motorcycle design. Each individual component of the bike is elegant and in harmony with the rest of the machine. But the bike is modern, using Ducati's advanced, state-of-the-art technology as well as the latest computer-controlled engine management system and chassis dynamics data acquired on World Superbike circuits. The bike prototype was presented to the general public in September 1998 at the Intermot Show in Munich, Germany to rave reviews. Since then, overwhelming customer demand for the bike prompted Ducati to bring it to market in record time.
