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Ducati’s Stunning New Lamborghini-Inspired Panigale Is Sneakily One of Its Best Motorcycles

Key performance-driven touches ensure this third collaboration between these legendary Italian names is much more than a branding exercise.

Ducati Panigale V4 Lamborghini macroDucati

By Steve Mazzucchi

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As anyone who follows product news with any regularity knows, brand collaborations bear a dirty secret.

Which is to say, as exciting as the hype can be, many end up being little more than the slapping of a new logo on an existing product.

Ducati Panigale V4 Lamborghini side by side
Upon close examination, the channeling of the Revuelto’s super powers is pretty comprehensive.
Ducati

That doesn’t always happen, though, and when the partnership is just right, real magic can happen. 

That appears to be the case with the latest team-up between Ducati and Lamborghini.

While I can’t speak for the car, the resulting limited-edition Panigale V4 motorcycle is not only eye-popping but actually just a bit better than the standard model.

Capitolo tre

That header is Italian for “Chapter three,” which felt appropriate because this is the third collaboration between the two renowned Italian brands that both hail from the Emilia region’s Motor Valley and really are kinda brothers from another mother. 

They’ve previously demonstrated the power of partnership with the excellent Ducati Streetfighter V4 Lamborghini and Diavel 1260 Lamborghini.

This bike boasts an Akrapovič titanium exhaust pipe with carbon end caps and a dedicated calibration of the celebrated 1103cc Desmosedici Stradale V4 engine, raising its horsepower to 218.5, edging past the standard edition by 2.5 ponies.

Now turning their attention to Ducati’s vaunted sport bike, they draw inspiration from the Lamborghini Revuelto, that brand’s first HPEV hybrid super sports car, which is breaking new ground with performance, tech and pure driving joy.

So what makes this particular Panigale, currently making its debut at Milan Design Week, a similar standout?

Ducati Panigale V4 Lamborghini solo
You don’t paint your bike this way unless it’s Italian, one of the fastest damn things on the highway or both.
Ducati

Its technical foundation is the V4 S, Ducati’s finest Panigale, which features a superior blend of aerodynamics and design, a top-notch chassis and major electronic innovations.

Overlaid on that canvas is a series of Revuelto-inspired details, not all of which are purely aesthetic. 

The livery, forged aluminum wheel rims, tail piece and wings all mirror similar elements on the Revuelto. 

Ducati Panigale V4 Lamborghini fairing
Even the fairing can’t escape from the overwhelming onslaught of carbon fiber.
Ducati

Going even further, however, this Panigale’s bodywork and a number of remaining components — including the heat shield, heel guard and front and rear mudguards — are all rendered in carbon fiber, a key ingredient in Lamborghini’s super cars.

This bike also boasts an Akrapovič titanium exhaust pipe with carbon end caps and a dedicated calibration of the celebrated 1103cc Desmosedici Stradale V4 engine, raising the total horsepower to 218.5, edging past the standard edition by 2.5 ponies.

Akrapovič titanium silencer
The Akrapovič silencer is smartly tucked away so as to not interfere with the bike’s sleek aerodynamics.
Ducati

At the same time, the bevy of carbon fiber components sheds nearly 2 kilograms (4+ pounds) of weight versus the typical V4 S.

Those two factors, in conjunction, boost the bike’s power-to-weight ratio from 1.15 to 1.18 horsepower per kilogram. 

Bottom line: This particular “branding exercise” is, in fact, the most powerful and lightest Panigale in the family.

Availability and pricing

Limited to 630 examples, the Ducati Panigale V4 Lamborghini will begin deliveries in September.

Ducati will also produce an even more exclusive series, the Speciale Clienti, available only to 63 Lamborghini customers.

Pricing has not yet been announced.

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