Ducati unveils 1199 Superleggera
The Ducati 1199 Panigale is already one of the most desirable wheeled objects currently in production. With its exquisite detailing and beautiful yet brutal styling, it's the sort of thing you could stare at for hours. It also goes like stink. Now Ducati has dialed up the want factor and come up with the 1199 Superleggera.
In car terms, think of it as Ferrari's 458 Speciale to the 458 Italia - more powerful, lighter, harder, faster. With a claimed 200 horsepower and a dry weight of 341 pounds, Ducati says the Superleggera has the highest power-to-weight ratio of any street bike ever. The frame is magnesium monocoque and wheels are forged magnesium. The obsessive attention to weight savings extends to bolts and fasteners throughout the bike, many of which are now titanium, and it's all draped in carbon fiber body work.
The Superquadro engine features a few bits of tech that Ducati normally reserves for the track. Again, titanium is everywhere. Connecting rods, inlet valves, and exhaust valves are all fashioned from the stuff. The pistons are special race inspired two-ring units which reduce mass and friction. The lightweight crankshaft has been precision balanced with really cool sounding things called "dense tungsten inserts."
Front and rear suspension come courtesy of Öhlins and both feature titanium springs. Brakes are Brembo M50 Monoblocs and use a race spec master cylinder. The newly optimized electronics system is littered with three letter acronyms. Variables such as traction control, wheelie control, and brake control can all be adjusted on-the-fly via handlebar mounted buttons.
If all this ridiculous attention to detail still isn't up to your standards, you can order your Superleggera with the race kit. This adds an additional 5 horsepower, an Akrapovič titanium exhaust and a few other handy track day ancillaries, including a dust cover, paddock stands, license plate removal kit and a higher racing windscreen.
Read more: http://www.roadandtrack.com/go/news/new-cars/ducati-1199-superleggera#ixzz2jTYz1VF8
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