Quote:
Originally posted by Shazaam!
Regarding the Supermono:
From an interview last year with Ducati President Federico Minoli:
Rolling the first engine off the production line will cost us approximately five million Euros. Can we really expect to turn that much profit from such a product? That's what we have to ask ourselves. I'm not going to take this company down the road of over-investing as compared to the size that we have, and the profit we want to generate. So - sorry!" |
Really? 5 million Euros for the engine to move to production when you have all the major parts in production already? Haven't they made more surprising investment decisions like redesigning and making the cylinder head of the 996 engine different for the ST4S because the original head fouled the chassis? Could've moved a frame tube or two and I'm sure it would've worked out better than trying to amortize the tooling and production costs of a new barrel and cylinder head against a relatively low volume bike like the ST. Maybe the competition from Aprilia might goad them into it.
I had forgotten about the supercharger...Oh my, if only they would make it. A lightweight, 500cc supercharged exotic jewel of a bike...never mind entry level, I would rather have one of those than a 749R or one of the mythical desmosedici replicas that may never happen...and I'd be prepared to pay 749R prices as well.
I wonder if Ducati UK are really listening to us on this board?
Dear Ducati UK,
I would like an updated version of the Supermono for my Christmas present in 2006. If Santa would only bring me one I promise I will be good until then.
Love
Jools
[Edited on 7-4-2004 by Jools]
07-Apr-2004, 12:51 
) I don't like the idea of a cheap Duke. It takes something away from the marque in my view. You'll end up with every Tom, Dick and Harry riding around on them and it will take away much of the specialness. If you take BMW as an example. I used to think they were something special, something to aspire to owning. But with the release of the lower end, cheaper 3 series models they devalued the whole image of owning a BMW. Every tosspot has one (Sorry again Tim 
).
Jools
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