Ducati has launched the Panigale V4 R in India. At Rs 69.99 lakh (ex-showroom), it is the most expensive and powerful Ducati on sale in the country. The first lot contained 5 motorcycles, and all of them have already been sold out. Ducati will commence their deliveries immediately.
The heart of the Panigale V4 R is the new 998 cc Desmosedici Stradale R, an engine capable of reaching a maximum engine speed of 16,500 rpm in sixth gear (16,000 in the other ratios) and delivering a maximum power of 218 hp at 15,500 rpm (Euro-5 compliant), absolute benchmark values in the superbike segment of the same displacement. The full potential of this engine, however, is expressed on the track by fitting the racing Akrapovič exhaust, which allows it to reach 237 hp, 3 hp more than the predecessor.
The engine development of the new Panigale V4 R also involved the production of a special oil developed by Shell in collaboration with Ducati Corse. The new performance oil guarantees a 10% reduction in mechanical friction and leads to an increase in maximum power of a further 3.5 hp, which rises to +4.5 hp at the limiter.
To increase nimbleness, rider feeling and grip, the chassis follows the evolutionary direction traced by the Panigale V4/V4 S with the 2022 model, while maintaining fully mechanical suspension adjustment. At the front, the Öhlins NPX25/30 pressurized fork increases its travel by 5 mm compared to the previous "R".
The aerodynamic package has been revised with a view to greater efficiency: the new two-element wings (main + flap) guarantee the same aerodynamic load, but are more compact and thinner (respectively by 40% and 50%).
