Fiat Heir Considers Ducati Bid

Fiat scion Lapo Elkann tells Italy's Panorama Icon magazine that as "a patriot" he would consider buying Bologna-based motorcycle maker Ducati Motor Holding SpA to keep it out of foreign ownership.

Elkann says the stumbling block is the "exorbitant" asking price reportedly as high as €1 billion set by owner Investorindustrial SpA. Elkann is a marketing executive at Fiat SpA and a great-great-grandson of Fiat founder Giovanni Agnelli.

Britain's Car reported last month that Volkswagen AG's Audi unit has first rights of refusal to buy Ducati through mid-April. But the magazine estimates the brand's price at €300 million, including €200 million of Ducati debt.

Separately, Daimler AG denies a report in Italy's Il Corriere della Sera that the carmaker may bid for Ducati. Other rumored bidders include India's Hero MotoCorp. and Mahindra & Mahindra.