For a few years now, there has been some uncertainty around the Ducati brand in South Africa, with just a single outlet in Pretoria servicing Ducatisti. With the Ducati brand now under the control of Volkswagen South Africa and the team at VWSA spending an insane amount of time behind the scenes sorting through administrative blocks, consumers are finally starting to see the developments unfold.
Related: Ducati is officially back with a bang!
At a press briefing earlier this month, Ducati South Africa laid out their plans for the dealer network that would begin popping up over the next few months. As mentioned in the earlier article, there would be four initial sites, with four more to follow country-wide. The first of these new outlets just opened in the Mother City, and we were on hand to catch a glimpse of what fans of the red brand can expect in the fairest Cape.
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New space
Nestled in the leafy green suburbs of Claremont, a brand new, shiny Ducati dealership sits in a heritage site that used to be the old Claremont gentlemen's hotel. The premises are ideally situated just off the main arterial road from the M5 freeway into the Claremont CBD and occupy some serious high-value real estate between Audi and Ford. The new dealership is world-class and has the same look and feel as any high-end European dealership.
Full stock holding
The new dealership opens with a full complement of stock. Almost all Ducati models are currently on sale, and even more stock is set to arrive in the next few weeks. From the humble Scrambler to the Desert X, Multistrada, Monster, Diavel and halo Panigale, buyers will be able to test ride a host of demo machines, buy what's on the floor, and place orders for their bike of choice. The dealership has already begun servicing customer needs and has several bikes on its order books.
Service ready
New and existing Ducati owners can now have their trusty machines serviced by a certified Ducati technician who hails from the old Waterfront establishment. Another first is the pickup-service-delivery model that the dealership has instituted. Here, a branded van will arrive at your house, pick up your bike, take it to the dealership, service it and return it to your residence if you cannot bring it in yourself. They have a full complement of OE Ducati service spares and consumables to keep your warranty intact and, most importantly, will keep your Ducati as original as the day it rolled off the factory floor in Bologna.
Ready to roll
With the dealers' doors now open, the super-friendly staff at Ducati Claremont are ready to help you get onto your dream Ducati, get your bike serviced, or trade in your used model for a fantastic new machine. They may even have a few surprises in store with limited edition models. They have a full apparel store where you can get official Ducati merch and riding gear.
For all your Ducati-related needs, head to 143 Imam Haron Road, Claremont, Monday through Saturday, and speak to Daniel or Candace. Alternatively, visit the website here to see what they have on offer.
