One year into Audi's ownership of Ducati and the Italian icon has turned out plenty of new models, including ever
more extreme Panigales
new Hyperstrada
Unveiled at the VW group night the night before the main Frankfurt press day, the new 899 Panigale is intended to broaden the appeal of the flagship sports bike with a more affordable and accessible version.
A first step into the Ducati realm - welcome!
"The introduction of the highly-anticipated Ducati 899 Panigale provides a new way to access the exclusive world of Ducati Superbikes with a 'Supermid' version designed to provide the thrill of the new generation flagship model with the refined character of an everyday streetbike," says Ducati, the new model boasting 148hp and a dry weight of 169kg.
"An 1199 silhouette underlines the family DNA," continues the official announcement, "while the fully integrated Riding Mode technology of Ride-by-Wire, triple stage ABS, Ducati Traction Control (DTC) and Engine Brake Control (EBC) continues the benchmark ingenuity introduced with the award-winning Panigale."
Expect a full PH2 review ASAP...