Ducati CEO Claudio Domenicali drops first details of the Ducati V4
Ducati CEO Claudio Domenicali has given the first sly details of the upcoming Ducati V4, due to replace the Panigale as the company’s flagship superbike for the 2018 model year.
Speaking at the 1299 R Panigale Final Edition unveiling in California, Domenicali was coy about exact details of the V4 machine (that Cycle News released spy photos of last week), but did say the new Desmo valve machine will have in excess of 200hp.
“We will have a bit more than that [200hp],” Domenicali said. “The V4 has been in development for about four years. We took inspiration from our MotoGP project but this engine is completely different. It’s the same concept, but it’s been made in order to achieve a reasonable production cost and a reasonably long service interval. That is what matters for the typical customer.
Domenicali would not confirm or deny rumors the V4 will come in a 1200cc and 1000cc engine format, only saying “that’s too secret.” A 1000cc machine would allow the V4 to compete in all forms of superbike racing, however Ducati has a history of bringing out larger capacity sportbikes than the current racing rules allow—so you can read into Domenicali’s comments what you will.
Domenicalli did however say the machine will debut at EICMA in Milan this October, and there were no plans—at this stage—to start developing a smaller capacity V4 engine for use in the current 959 Panigale chassis.
