Ducati starts production of the Scrambler in Bologna

Ducati has commenced the production of the Scrambler at its manufacturing facility in Bologna, Italy. While earlier rumours had hinted that Ducati had zeroed in on its Thailand facility to build the retro cafe racer, the company recently announced that the motorcycle will be built exclusively at its Italian facility and that the first model has already rolled off the factory floors. 

Ducati is offering the Scrambler in four versions - Icon, Urban Enduro, Classic and Full Throttle. It is a spiritual successor to the original Scrambler motorcycle of the 1960s and 1970s and symbolises a minimalist approach towards motorcycling. Unlike its single-cylinder predecessor though, the new Scrambler will be powered by the liquid-cooled 803cc V-twin engine which is also used in the Monster 796. With prices starting at USD 8,495 (Rs 5.25 lakh) deliveries of the Scrambler will commence in January, next year. 

While manufacturing in Thailand would have been easier on the pocket of the Italian manufacturer, Ducatistas around the world seemed to be quite upset with these rumours. Being a modern incarnation of a very nostalgic motorcycle, its association with the Bolognese factory has a profound effect in the minds of motorcycling enthusiasts. Unlike the other entry-level Monster models manufactured at Thailand, Ducati has pitched the Scrambler as a lifestyle motorcycle and hence the impression of it being produced in Italy is quite important to go with the motorcycle’s image.