A V4-powered replacement for the Ducati Panigale is no secret. Company boss Claudio Domenicali had announced the upcoming V4 superbike at the 2017 MotoGP team launch in Bologna this January. About six months later, the Italian manufacturer revealed the Panigale Final Edition, thus bidding farewell to the last of the big V-twin-powered apex predictors from Ducati’s line-up.
The bike maker is expected to present the new V4 engine in a couple of weeks and the bike will be revealed in production form at the 2017 EICMA show this November.
But we don't have to wait that long for a first taste of the new bike's sound. After a few spy pictures surfaced of the test mules, we now have a video of the bike testing at the race track. The short 45sec video uploaded by Belgian website Maxx Moto isn't very clear but plays the clear audio of what the publication claims is the new Ducati superbike. Needless to say, it sounds deep, powerful and is quite reminiscent of MotoGP. This is one video you'd want to watch on good earphones with the volume cranked up!
The sound produced by the production bike may be slightly different and quieter as well thanks to the street-legal exhaust. However, it's fair to expect an incredible sound.
At the moment, the Aprilia RSV4 is the only production bike available with a V4 engine and it has received wide acclaim for its exotic exhaust note. We expect nothing less from the new Ducati.