Market reports – Edouard Lotthe: we are in an upward spiral – Occasions DUCATI

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Edouard Lotthe: we are in an upward spiral

Market reports - Edouard Lotthe: we are in an upward spiral - Occasions DUCATI

With 3,743 registrations, Ducati posted an increase of 9.5% on the French motorcycle market. Edouard Lotthe, Marketing and Communication Director Ducati West Europe, draws up the brand’s 2010 report for Site and reveals its 2011 objectives.

Site: What do you think of the general evolution of the French motorcycle market in 2010? ?
Edouard Lotthe, Marketing and Communication Director Ducati West Europe : The general evolution of the market is negative, it retracts again after a difficult year 2009. Only one segment is doing it today, that of Duals, big road trails. This is due to the conjunction of a strong product dynamic and a positioning of motorcycles which corresponds well to the evolutions of the current mode of use. There is a continued decline in the sports market and a decline in sales of roadsters: it is a large segment in France. It is mainly generated by entry-level motorcycles bought by people who are very much affected by the crisis and are not renewing their products. And then, there was not necessarily a plethora of novelties in this segment..

"Only one segment is doing it today: that of big road trails"

MNC: What is your assessment of your year? ?
E. L. : In a not very obvious market, Ducati is doing well and ended the year with almost + 10% growth in volume. We’ve been gaining a lot of market share for quite a few years. This is due to our Premium positioning, but also to our very good readability, our consistency in the development of our ranges, our attachment to original values ​​(performance, "Italianness", innovative design, etc.). It gives a lot of value to the products. In addition, the evolution of the quality of manufacture and finish, the perception of the reliability and cost of ownership of motorcycles, the representativeness and skills of our network mean that we are in an upward spiral, as can BMW too, for example. Finally, the constant development of our products is a key factor in our progress: despite the crisis, we did not give up and continued to invest as planned. The year 2011 and the following should therefore be good !

MNC: Immates are not everything … How would you qualify your balance sheet? ?
E. L. : The balance sheet goes hand in hand, it is also good. Admittedly, the volumes compared to the end of 2008 have fallen, but Ducati had well anticipated market variations and succeeded in adapting production levels. The company therefore remains healthy and can always invest in research, development, process innovation, general support for the network, our IT tools … Many projects have been launched and are not frozen because we are profitable. and financially strong.

MNC: Are you fully satisfied with the results of your bestsellers: Monster 696 and 796, Multistrada 1200 and Monster 1100 ?
E. L. : Regarding our new Multistrada 1200 and Monster 796, yes! Success is there. But we can do better anyway: the Multi arrived in April / May and the 796 in May / June. 2011 will therefore be their first full year and we are leaving on solid bass thanks to them.

We were less satisfied with the Monster 696, because we had put in a lot of effort in 2009 and the network was very active in promoting it. The arrival of the 796 did not help it much because of its relatively close price positioning and a higher endowment. The 696 remains however a gateway and we do not intend to hide it in 2011.

"We had counted on an increase of 5 to 10%, we reach 10% thanks to all of our products"

Finally, the Monster 1100 got off to a good start but we started to limit deliveries from June / July to the network to anticipate the 1100 Evo announcement. There was a shortage on this product: sales fell on the 796, others were lost because of this availability far from exceptional. The goal was to help the network, to avoid creating excessively large stocks when presenting the Monster 1100 Evo which brings very big changes in terms of content and price positioning. !

In the end, the results are satisfactory compared to what we had set for ourselves as objective, obviously knowing the evolutions for 2011.

MNC: Which models have you been disappointed with in sales and what was the cause ?
E. L. : We have no real disappointment with our range. We have good scores on the Hypermotard and Streetfighter. Everything is in line with our forecasts. We had counted on an increase of 5 to 10%, we reach 10% thanks to all of our products. We would have liked to sell a little more 696 and we know we can do even better with the Multistrada, that’s all.

MNC: In your opinion, did your new products for 2010 (Multistrada 1200, Hypermotard and Monster 796) pass their first year? ?
E. L. : As we mentioned previously, the Multistrada worked well and the Monster 796 was a real hit. The Hypermotard 796 got off to a good start. In general, the Hypermotard clearly has its place in our range. We have really created an alternative to the roadster, which has nothing to do with a Supermotard: it is an extension of the "naked bike", more fun and more modern than the Monster can be and less exclusive than a pure Supermot ‘. We will also continue to work on its image, young and offbeat, by positioning it around original events such as Le Touquet, in order to reach people who possibly have a different approach to motorcycles, who are interested in Motocross. , Supercross, Enduro … This bike corresponds well to a slightly offbeat philosophy, it changes the sensations on the road.

"Bikers are obviously not ready to pay more to own ABS"

MNC: What was the good surprise 2010 ?
E. L. : The Monster 796 slightly exceeds the success we originally imagined.

MNC: What was the worst ?
E. L. : We launched ABS last year on the Monster range and the ratio is disappointing, only around 5%. The optional ABS on this type of product does not meet with much echo, bikers are obviously not ready to pay more to have this element of security. It is therefore a good thing that the future Diavel and Monster 1100 Evo have the original "Safety Pack", namely the standard endowment of ABS and traction control. This is undoubtedly the way to take, at Ducati, to impose these safety elements.

MNC: In your opinion, what was the highlight of 2010 in the world of two-wheelers? ?
E. L. : The redistribution of cards in Moto GP which took place last summer! The attention and number of discussions around this topic, and more specifically the signing of Valentino Rossi to Ducati, was impressive.

MNC: What is the situation of Ducati in Europe and in the world? ?
E. L. : The situation is very positive since we are up 2% worldwide and 8% at European level. Overall, all the markets are in the green except the North American market which remains difficult and requires more work from us. The Diavel will also be important for our development there.

"We are aiming for 15% growth"

MNC: How were your 2011 novelties (Diavel, Monster 1100 Evo, 848 Evo, new 1198) received by your network and by all bikers ?
E. L. : The reception was very positive. The 1198s have been improved, we are bringing more without changing the pricing too much and I like it. In general, on all our ranges in recent years, the drop in production costs has allowed higher endowments on the machines while maintaining an attractive price. The 848 evolves deeply and brings real more. The same goes for the Monster 1100 Evo: more power, technology and safety for an ultra aggressive price. The Diavel is a new machine in a new segment, but the Ducati philosophy is retained: it is authentic, efficient and Italian … As of June 2010, we explained to our network the concept of the motorcycle, hence it came, the fact that it remains a real Ducati but with a slightly different skin and target. Our dealers have incorporated it well, we have carried out some pre-launch operations, monitored reactions at shows and we are seeing real public interest. We are awaiting press validation on the announced behavior and lightness. Then it will be important to give it a try, so that people take the time to discover it..

"Ducati fans and Valentino fans"

MNC: In 2011, what will be your objectives ?
E. L. : We are aiming for 15% growth. We should not be very far from the 4,500 motorcycles, knowing that the year 2010 already represents our record for the number of motorcycles sold in France. We will remain faithful to our image and our communication policy: sportiness and dynamism.

MNC: What will be your major events in 2011 ?
E. L. : First, the Moto GP in general and the GP of France in particular, based on the sharing of fans of the brand and those of Valentino. We will meet with bikers in April in our dealerships so that they can discover our range. We are also working on setting up a Demo Tour to give the Multistrada and Diavel a try to as many people as possible. Trade fairs, walks, track days, driving courses, Challenge 848: the Ducati meetings will be numerous !

MNC: In conclusion, which maxim would best illustrate your 2010 results? ?
E. L. : A record year and always redder! Even if we are not the most important brand in terms of volume, we are more and more visible and more and more appreciated, more and more bikers are taking the plunge.

Interview by Matthieu BRETILLE

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