Claudio Domenicali presents the new Ducati 899 Panigale in Bologna

Following its surprise preview at the VW Group Night in Frankfurt, Germany, the Ducati 899 Panigale was officially presented during a media event at the Ducati factory in Bologna, Italy.

Ducati Motor Holding's recently appointed CEO, Claudio Domenicali, explained
the new 899 Panigale model in detail and, one year on from the Audi Group acquisition, provided the first official overview of the progress achieved by the company despite a challenging and delicate European motorcycle market.

"My professional career began here at Ducati 22 years ago and finding myself at the helm of the company today makes me immensely proud, but also aware of the huge responsibility that comes with this position," said Claudio Domenicali.

Referring to the brand new model released, Claudio added, "The 899 Panigale is a prime example of the technological excellence that has traditionally characterised our motorcycles. It is the reward of what we call 'performance redefined', a modern, innovative sports motorcycle which uses ground-breaking technology to ingeniously adjust to everyday use. User-friendly, safety-enhanced, and great fun at the same time. A motorcycle as thrilling as only a true Ducati can be. This important concept will carry on into our future production and also our range expansion plans, focusing on the concept of performance that we intend to extend upwards to create even more sophisticated, race-derived models, and downwards to cater for the market of 'easier' and more accessible models."

The 899 Panigale will make its first public appearance at the San Marino Republic round of the MotoGP championship, when the brand new model will be unveiled just before MotoGP race on September 15, 2013.

Representing the first  preview of the Italian manufacturer's exciting 2014 model range, the highly anticipated Ducati 899 Panigale marks the beginning of a new era for Ducati Superbikes. The stunning model, intended to provide a new way to access the exclusive world of Ducati Superbikes, is described as a 'Supermid' version of the award-winning 1199 Panigale, designed to provide the thrill of the new generation flagship model with the refined character of an everyday streetbike.

Its brand new Superquadro engine features a revised bore and stroke for a broad power delivery, producing 148 hp (109 kw) with a torque of 73 lb ft (10.1 kgm). The super-smooth power unit continues to be a fully stressed member of the innovative Panigale monocoque construction, achieving both an outstanding power-to-weight ratio and ride-enhancing agility with a dry weight of 169 kg (372.5 lb). An 1199 silhouette underlines the family DNA, while the Ducati Quick Shift (DQS) and the fully integrated Riding Mode technologies of Ride-by-Wire, triple stage ABS, Ducati Traction Control (DTC) and Engine Brake Control (EBC) continue the benchmark ingenuity introduced with the new generation Superbike.

Ducati now offers all-round performance for connoisseurs with an authentic and stylish way to enter the world of high performance. The 899 Panigale will be available from late October onwards in traditional Ducati red with black wheels or a stunning arctic white silk with red wheels.

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