DUCATI: Panigale V4 S Tricolore

Alan Dowds tells us what we need to know…

It’s a fine line between genius and insanity. And in this economy, a £48,000 special edition superbike will seem like madness to many out there. But this trick variant of the world-conquering Panigale V4 is a really intriguing piece of design, with some unique chassis kit, and a one-off asymmetrical paint job that echoes the Italian flag. Just 1000 bikes will be built, which sounds like a lot for a limited-edition model, but we reckon there’ll be a big queue of well-heeled fans ready to splash the cash.

Why? Well, the Tricolore comes with a couple of subtle yet key mods: lightweight five-spoke carbon fibre wheels, which save around a kilo over the already-light forged aluminium rims on the stock V4S, and a new top-end brake set up from Brembo. The front carbon wheel wears a pair of gigantic 338.5mm discs, which are the biggest you can get on a 170-inch wheel in our world of Euclidean geometry. You’d need some sort of TARDIS technology to get anything bigger on there. Bigger discs mean there’s more leverage from the braking force applied by the calipers, increasing power, and the serving-plate-sized rotors are also extra thick at 6.2mm, with cooling fins, and Brembo’s T-Drive carrier set up.

The ‘Brembo Front Brake Pro’ installation also includes a pair of the firm’s latest Hypure road-going superbike four-piston radial monobloc calipers, with a special titanium anodising finish, and it’s rounded off by an MCS 19.21 adjustable master cylinder. Brick-wall stopping looks to be assured, and together with sharper steering from the light carbon wheels, Ducati says these mods make a big difference to the bike’s track abilities. How many owners will be schlepping their £48k Tricolore round a damp UK track day at Brands, Indy or Cadwell remains to be seen…

The rest of the chassis follows the same narrative as the base 2025 Panigale V4 – a new monocoque main frame design, with a dual-sided swingarm. It’s another nail in the old-school Ducati chassis ethos of steel tube trellises and single-sided swingarms, but while it loses those unique charms, it gets sharper handling and lower mass in return. A fair exchange for the track day loons and racers, but those of a more romantic bent might bemoan the loss of ‘character’ that comes with computer-engineered aluminium solutions across the board.

The engine is as seen on the base bike – perhaps with 216bhp in road trim we’ve finally – finally! – reached the point where we have ‘enough’ power on tap. The only mod is in the transmission, where Ducati’s added a dry clutch unit, complete with track-friendly open carbon clutch cover. Ditto the electronics package: you get all the good stuff from the V4 S including the Öhlins Smart EC 3.0 suspension, with semi-active control of the NPX-30 fork, TTX-36 rear shock and Öhlins steering damper. The massive new 6.9-inch colour dash gives access to the bleeding-edge rider aids and tech: cornering ABS and traction control slide control, wheelie control, launch control, engine brake control, power modes and the electronic suspension set up, all adjusted with new switchgear. Cruise control, quickshifter, datalogging, phone link and lithium battery round off the electronics package nicely.

The last part of the Tricolore story is the fancy stuff, of which there is plenty. Carbon fibre front and rear mudguards, chain guard, heel guards, swingarm cover, exhaust guard, alternator cover, clutch cover and brake air ducts save mass and look ace, while the usual numbered top yoke plaque is underlined by a special key and one-off start-up animation. You get a nice indoor cover, a box to put it all in, and the option to buy a matching customised leather jacket and helmet. Lovely stuff, and all available to order from your Ducati dealer now.