Ducati->ke622 CEO Claudio Domenicali has laid to rest rumors of Ducati’s plan to offer a new four-cylinder superbike to replace the1299 Panigale. Speaking to Motorcycle News, Domenicali minced no words in saying that Ducati has no “officially confirmed project” within the company regarding a four-cylinder superbike to replace the Panigale V-twin in 2017.
Domenicali’s comments should put to bed any confusion pertaining to the future of the Panigale 1299. On the surface, it does seem odd for the company to already be thinking of a successor to the superbike considering that the current iteration is still too fresh in its product cycle to already have a replacement in the works. From a sales perspective, the 1299 Panigale has pulled in its weight, accounting for a little over 3,000 sold units in the first half of 2015, making it the fourth best-selling bike in the lineup. Only the Ducati Scrambler, the Multistrada 1200, and Monster 821 sold more units in the first six months of 2015 than the 1299 Panigale. That doesn’t look like a motorcycle that needs to be replaced anytime soon.
On the other hand, a four-cylinder Ducati superbike is going to be a game-changer in the segment. For his part, Domenicali didn’t discuss whether Ducati is planning a four-cylinder superbike in the mid to distant future so this rumor could still resurface down the road.
Continue reading to learn more about rumors of a four-cylinder Ducati superbike.
Why it matters
I’m tempted to believe Claudio Domenicali on this one, although I do understand why this particular rumor gained some traction. For starters, a confirmation from Domenicali wouldn’t be best for business at this point for the reasons I already stated. The 1299 Panigale is still new and is selling well so why would Ducati douse that by coming out and saying that a better model is already in the works? Doing so could turn off prospective buyers who may prefer to just wait it out until 2017 or 2018 to get their hands on the four-cylinder Ducati superbike.
On the flip side, Ducati could be playing coy on this one, denying all these rumors until the cows come home because it doesn’t want its plans to be pre-empted. That’s a possibility that I can’t discount too. There could really be a four-cylinder superbike in the works, but the company won’t admit it even if the rumors continue to persist.
Here’s what I do know: whether Ducati admits it or not, I think that’s where the segment is eventually headed. So it’s not a question of “if” it’s going to happen as it is “when” it’s going to happen. Claudio Domenicali may be speaking the truth now, but that doesn’t mean he’s not going to change his tune in the future.