2019 DUCATI PANIGALE V4 R
FIRST IMPRESSION
P110
ready to race, minus lights etc., but
with fuel).
But Ducati doesn't regard the
V4 R as a limited edition special,
like the 500-off Superleggera,
which sold out immediately in 2017
despite its 80,000-euro price tag,
double the price of the V4 R, with
half the number of cylinders.
"We anticipate building at least
1000 examples of the V4 R in
2019," says Ducati's Product Man-
ager, Paolo Quattrino. "While of
course it's a very expensive model,
we believe that the high level of
technology and the outstand-
ing performance will attract many
customers—not only committed
Ducatisti, but we hope to conquest
customers from other brands. So,
this will not be a limited edition
model."
OFF TO JEREZ
Just three weeks after its EICMA
debut, Ducati allowed a few privi-
leged journalists—just one dozen
of us from all over the world—to
join factory WolrdSBK riders Chaz
Davies and Alvaro Bautista for a day
aboard the bike at the Jerez circuit
in the sunny south of Spain.
Well, that was the idea, anyway,
but the day did not start well, with
rain, mist and a wet track. But soon
after midday the track dried up,
and that afternoon I spent 35 laps
(Below L-R) Mission control for the plethora of electronics is on the
left bar. One of the best looking butts in the business. No electronic
suspension here. WorldSBK bans electronic suspension, so the V4 R gets
conventionally-operated Ohlins front and rear.