A Century of Ducati — Born at Borgo Panigale

Announced on 27 March 2026 from Borgo Panigale, Bologna, the Ducati Superleggera V4 Centenario marks the company's centenary with its most ambitious and technically extraordinary motorcycle to date. Since the 1199 Superleggera of 2013 — which introduced a magnesium alloy frame and wheels — each Superleggera generation has redefined what a street-legal motorcycle can be.

The 2016 1299 Superleggera brought the first complete carbon fibre chassis to a production road bike. The 2020 Panigale V4 Superleggera pushed aerodynamics to the extreme. Now, the V4 Centenario takes the seventh generation of Ducati's Superbike platform and adds not one but three absolute world firsts — technologies that have never before appeared on a road-legal production motorcycle.

In addition to the 500 standard Centenario examples, Ducati has created 100 Superleggera V4 Centenario Tricolore bikes — their livery drawing on the iconic 750 F1 Endurance Racing colours of the 1980s, reinterpreted through a contemporary lens that bridges Ducati's glorious past and its forward-looking future.

Desmosedici Stradale R 1100 — A New Benchmark for Power

The Superleggera V4 Centenario introduces an all-new engine developed exclusively for this project: the Desmosedici Stradale R 1100. Displacement grows from 998 cc to 1,103 cc, achieved by lengthening the stroke from 48.41 mm to 53.5 mm. The result is richer mid-range torque without any sacrifice to top-end acceleration — the engine delivers 228 hp at 14,500 rpm in Euro 5+ road configuration, rising to an astonishing 247 hp at 14,750 rpm when fitted with the Akrapovič racing exhaust and Ducati Corse Performance oil*.

At just 3.6 kg lighter than the comparable 1103 cc Panigale V4 engine, every gram has been interrogated. Titanium connecting rods, titanium engine bolts, tungsten crankshaft inserts and redesigned internal components all contribute to faster revving and more immediate throttle response. Two-ring pistons using box-in-box technology, an oversized 18 mm piston pin, and 56 mm oval throttle bodies (up from 52 mm) ensure the engine can breathe freely and handle the demands of this power output.

Desmodromic Valve Timing — Hand-Set by Craftsmen

The cylinder heads carry 34 mm titanium intake valves and 27.5 mm steel exhaust valves, with all sixteen valves using titanium semi-cones. In keeping with Ducati Superleggera tradition, the desmodromic valve timing is manually set and certified — a signed nameplate fitted to the engine confirms the identity of the skilled technician who performed the check. This is the marriage of artisanal craftsmanship and cutting-edge engineering that defines the Superleggera lineage.

Ducati Racing Gearbox & Ducati Neutral Lock

The transmission uses the Ducati Racing Gearbox, which positions neutral below first gear rather than between first and second. The Ducati Neutral Lock (DNL) system eliminates the risk of accidentally selecting neutral during the critical final phase of braking into a corner in first gear. Shifting between first and second is simultaneously faster, smoother and more repeatable — a detail with real-world consequences at the limit.

World First: Carbon-Ceramic Brake Discs on a Road-Legal Motorcycle

For the first time in motorcycle history, a road-legal bike is equipped with carbon-ceramic brake discs approved for road use. The new Brembo Hyction 340 mm discs are constructed around a C/SiC core — a carbon fibre-reinforced ceramic compound that combines exceptional lightness, rigidity and thermal stability in a single material.

Compared to a conventional steel disc, each carbon-ceramic disc saves 450 grams and delivers a 40% reduction in moment of inertia. This reduction in rotational mass makes the Centenario feel more agile on corner entry, improving direction changes and reducing the gyroscopic forces that resist steering inputs. Compared to the standard 330 mm discs on the Panigale V4, these discs offer equivalent weight but lower inertia — and significantly superior resistance to extreme track use.

The system pairs these discs with Brembo GP4-HY monoblock calipers machined from solid aluminium, featuring integrated cooling fins, differentiated 30/34 mm pistons and an anti-drag mechanism that fully releases the disc the moment the rider releases the lever — eliminating residual torque for cleaner, more natural corner entry.

World First: Carbon Fibre Outer-Tube Fork — MotoGP-Derived Suspension

The Superleggera V4 Centenario is also the world's first road bike to use a pressurised Öhlins NPX 25/30 Carbon fork with carbon fibre outer tubes, manufactured from unidirectional layers for maximum weight saving. Against the Panigale V4 R, the fork is 8% lighter; against the standard Panigale V4, the saving rises to 10%. The improvement is tangible in the quality of direction changes and front-end feedback.

The fork remains mechanical in design to minimise weight, and the pressurised cartridge reduces cavitation — ensuring more consistent support under heavy braking and during corner entry, where fork behaviour has the greatest influence on rider confidence and lap time.

At the rear, the Öhlins TTX36 GP LW shock absorber uses a special lightweight steel spring and MotoGP-derived valves that improve response to small surface irregularities and allow tool-free hydraulic adjustment. Titanium suspension linkages complete a package that brings genuine MotoGP-derived suspension to a road-registered motorcycle.

Full Carbon Fibre Chassis — F1 and MotoGP Construction Methods

The entire chassis of the Superleggera V4 Centenario — frame, swingarm, subframes and wheels — is manufactured in carbon fibre using the same technologies employed in MotoGP and Formula 1. The carbon front frame is 17% lighter than the aluminium unit on the Panigale V4, with calibrated stiffness that improves cornering grip and the bike's natural tendency to hold a line through a corner.

The carbon swingarm, manufactured using a sacrificial mandrel process for a light, monolithic structure, is 21% lighter than its aluminium equivalent while maintaining equivalent lateral and torsional stiffness for maximum grip on exit. Every other structural element tells a similar story: the five-spoke carbon wheels are nearly 300 grams lighter than those on the Panigale V4 S Carbon; the front subframe saves 200 grams; the rear monocoque reduces weight by 1.4 kg.

Aerospace-Grade Quality Assurance

Every carbon fibre component in every Superleggera V4 Centenario is subjected to three independent non-destructive testing methods: Transient Active Thermography, Phased Array Ultrasonics and Computed Axial Tomography — the same inspection process used in the aerospace industry, and one Ducati has employed on every Superleggera since the 1299.

Beauty Designed by the Wind — Rosso Centenario Livery

The fairing of the Superleggera V4 Centenario is crafted entirely from carbon fibre, left partially exposed to celebrate the material's inherent beauty. Aerodynamically, the wings and Corner Sidepods — derived directly from the Panigale V4 R Superbike and first introduced by Ducati in MotoGP in 2021 — generate downforce at high lean angles through a ground-effect principle, increasing tyre grip mid-corner for higher speeds and lower lap times.

The livery is finished in Rosso Centenario — a new matt deep red created specifically for the centenary, its shade tracing a direct line back to the red of the 1949 Ducati 60, Ducati's first complete motorcycle. White graphic stripes derived from the iconic GP racing livery complete the scheme. So significant is this colour that it inspired the official 2026 MotoGP and World Superbike liveries of the Ducati Lenovo team.

Every numbered example carries a laser-etched production number on the upper steering plate — XXX/500 — which is also reproduced in a dedicated dashboard animation and on the titanium insert of the ignition key.

MotoGP-Derived Electronics — DVO Control Suite

The electronics package of the Superleggera V4 Centenario is derived from the Panigale V4 R's competition-focused control suite, comprehensively recalibrated and expanded with the latest DVO (Ducati Vehicle Observer) strategies. Every system is designed to offer maximum control while allowing riders of all abilities to access riding techniques previously the preserve of professional racers.

• Ducati Traction Control (DTC) DVO — more precise management via new algorithms
• Ducati Wheelie Control (DWC) DVO — improved intervention accuracy
• Ducati Slide Control (DSC) — controlled rear-wheel slides
• Ducati Power Launch (DPL) DVO — optimised launch control
• Cornering ABS with Engine Brake Control DVO — including the new Dynamic Engine Brake (DEB) function
• Ducati Quick Shift (DQS) 2.0 — seamless clutchless up and downshifts

The Dynamic Engine Brake function is particularly notable: it automatically adjusts engine braking using the rear brake based on available rear-wheel grip — and continues to apply rear braking even after the front brake is released, replicating the technique used instinctively by professional riders to tighten corner entry. The result is more confidence, tighter lines, and ultimately faster, safer lap times for road and track alike.

The Collector's Package — and the MotoGP Experience

Each Superleggera V4 Centenario is delivered in an exclusive, customised wooden crate, accompanied by a certificate of authenticity in a dedicated presentation box, a motorcycle cover, and front and rear paddock stands. The racing kit supplied as standard includes the Akrapovič racing exhaust with DAVC Race Pro software and dedicated lower fairing, open carbon fibre clutch cover, swingarm and alternator cover protectors, a headlight/side stand/number plate/indicator removal kit for track configuration, a machined aluminium racing fuel cap, brake lever guard, battery charger and neoprene racing seat.

Twenty-six of the 500 owners will also be given access to the exclusive MotoGP Experience**: a full day on track with Ducati instructors, culminating in a guided session aboard the DesmosediciGP26 — the factory MotoGP machine. The event takes place on 6 and 7 July 2026, immediately following World Ducati Week.

Owners may also complete their collection with a limited-edition helmet, leather jacket and suit in the Rosso Centenario colour scheme — exclusive to Superleggera V4 Centenario buyers.

2027 Ducati Superleggera V4 Centenario — Full Specification

* Due to ongoing homologation, specifications may be subject to change. ** The MotoGP Experience is not included in the price of the motorcycle.