DUCATI has announced the launch of a special edition Panigale V4 inspired by its spiritual forerunner, the iconic 916.
Unveiled in 1994, the Ducati 916 was critically and publicly acclaimed from launch, earning its place in motorcycle history for its intricate and timeless silhouette, as well as a number of pioneering technological features.
Celebrating 25 years since the 916 first hit the road, Ducati’s latest iteration of its hallowed Superbike will pay homage to its ‘Great Grandaddy’ with the Ducati Panigale V4 25° Anniversario 916.
Already inspired by the 916’s ‘elegant, light and technologically innovative’ ethos, the Panigale V4 25° Anniversario 916 will sport an original livery and exclusive racing components. The teaser images give little away here (beyond Carl Fogarty's game face) but a retro-inspired livery harking back to the mid-90s heyday of its Fogarty-helmed WorldSBK dominance is surely to be anticipated.
More imagery and details will be confirmed when the machine is officially unveiled at the Pebble Beach show in California on 12 July.
A production run of only 500 will assure the Ducati Panigale V4 25° Anniversario 916's unique status.
The unveiling coincides with this weekend’s American World Superbike Championship round at Laguna Seca, where Ducati’s factory Aruba.it team riders Alvaro Bautista and Chaz Davies will compete in a special livery inspired by the graphics of the Panigale V4 25° Anniversario 916.
Ducati’s halo Superbike model, the 916’s racing lineage was evident in the way the firm approached designing road bikes that would also help it win on track. This includes single-sided swingarm, which was integrated into the production process to make wheel changes faster during races.
It was a method that achieved its objective handsomely, with Ducati clinching four WorldSBK with the 916 – three for Carl Fogarty and one with Troy Corser – and going down in legend as one of the sport’s most famous models.
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