207hp, standard. The new Panigale V4 R…

The Italian firm has just revealed the latest version of its street-legal but race-ready Panigale V4 R – and it’s just as bonkers as you’d expect.

The headline news is that it’s 998cc V4 engine develops a whopping 207hp at 13,500rpm.

But that’s just in standard tune. If you drop the homologated exhaust and swap it for the race-ready Akrapovic, you’ll see power increase to 237hp… and there’s more. Ducati’s actually joined forces with Shell to develop an engine oil specifically for this bike. They claim it’ll reduce mechanical friction by 10% and increases horsepower by 3.5bhp. That means that if you swap the exhaust and top up with some special oil, you’ll have just over 240 horsepower to play with. Jesus.

To manage that, there’s some seriously clever Moto GP-derived engineering going on beneath the Panigale V4R’s gorgeous exterior. It’s got some ‘gun-drilled’ titanium connecting rods (which are drilled longitudinally to create an oil passage) and pistons with a diamond-like carbon (DLC) surface treatment which work together to reduce friction between the pistons and the cylinders. There’s also a more aggressive intake cam profile and a lighter dry clutch. Oh, and the gear ratios have been changed to match the bikes competing in WSB, with first, second and sixth gears lengthened.

There’s plenty of other good stuff away from the engine, including a set of adjustable Öhlins NPX25/30 pressurised forks up front and a fully adjustable Öhlins TTX36 shock at the rear. There’s also an option to replace the bike’s standard forged rims with a set of lighter weight magnesium ones. There’s a bigger fuel tank for 2023 too, with 17 litres now on offer – which has also been redesigned to help support the rider more under hard braking. The seat’s also flatter than before, to help riders feel more stable – and some new, more compact winglets have been fitted too.

As you’d expect, there’s plenty of technology to play with as well. It’s all accessible using the V4R’s full-colour 5in TFT display. In basic terms, riders have four engine tunes to choose from (Full, High, Mid and Low). The Low setting caps the V4’s output at 160hp and tones down the throttle response for more sure-footed riding on low-grip surfaces, while Full offers every one of the 240 horses to play with.

Ducati’s also added the engine brake control EVO 2 engine brake management system with three selectable levels and a quick-shift function for the six-speed transmission. Oh, and there’s also a new track evo display, which allows riders to create specific electronic configurations for different circuits (dependant on personal preference).

All that good stuff doesn’t come cheap though, with the Ducati Panigale V4 R starting from £38,995. That’s right. Starting from.

Add the Akrapovic exhaust system for £6156. How about the magnesium wheels for £4579? If you go the whole hog and spec it up to the hilt you’ll be looking at a grand total of £58,000. For the deep pocketed who are still interested, you can pre-order yours now ahead of bikes starting to roll out the factory in the spring.

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