Two of Italy's most evocative road and track racing brands - Alfa Romeo and Ducati - are set to enter into a new collaboration together. The announcement was made last month by Ducati Corse, the MotoGP racing arm of the famous motorcycle manufacturer during 'Wroom 2006', the annual Press Ski Meeting held on the slopes at Madonna di Campiglio. Alfa Romeo and Ducati have both written many memorable pages in the history of four and two wheeled sport respectively, and are both brands that symbolise Italian passion and technical excellence. It therefore seemed natural that the two should now come together to promote Italian style and ingenuity around the world.

Ducati Corse has just taken delivery of a business fleet of Alfa Romeo 159 sedans. The new Alfa 159, which received its much-anticipated world première at the 75th Geneva Salon on 1st March 2005, went on sale in Italy last autumn. A carefully crafted, luxurious executive transport it is a genuine rival for the prestige German brands' offerings, including the BMW 3-series and the Audi A4. Ducati Corse believe the Alfa 159 typifies the values that they seek to embrace.

"In 2006, Alfa Romeo a really great name of the Italian industry, joins up with us and will be a partner of which we are particularly proud," declared Federico Minoli, the President and General Executive Manager of Ducati Holdings recently. "This new relationship of collaboration will be able to guarantee a real effect as an ulterior affirmation of the two marques, and it has strong appeal for us as both have always been a symbol of the Italian technology in the world. Ducati and Alfa Romeo will now go forward to great things together."
 

As large manufacturers of stylish motorbikes and excellent cars, both equipped with a character and a fascination that is perpetual in time, Ducati and Alfa Romeo will now enter into a collaboration that will initially extend to a range of communication and marketing activities, through fresh initiatives that will seek to emphasise the natural association that exists between the two brands.

Founded by brothers Adriano, Bruno and Marcello Cavalieri Ducati in July 1926, Ducati first made its name producing radio transmitters. By the start of World War Two the company employed 7000 employees and had expanded its range of products to include electric razors, intercoms, calculating machines, cameras and movie cameras. In 1946, as Italy tried to get back on the road after the war, Ducati was commencing the manufacture of its first engine – the Cucciolo (Italian for ‘puppy’) four-stroke moped motor, used to power bicycles.

In 1956 the Ducati 'desmodromic' 125 won the Swedish GP with Gianni Degli Antoni and with the same bike, Sandro Artusi scored the marque’s first World Championship points at Monza. In 1958 Ducati won three 125 Grands Prix and took second place in the 125 riders’ and manufacturers’ World Championships. Two years later Mike ‘The Bike’ Hailwood scored Ducati’s first 250 World Championship points, riding an inline 250 desmo twin, by this point the Ducati racing legend had been well and truly born.