Showcased at the EICMA 2016, Ducati has launched its exotic and stunningly beautiful Superleggera version of the 1299 Panigale at an astounding price of Rs. 1.12 crore in India. The Superleggera is all about going lightweight as the name suggests, like the previous 1199 Superleggera. The 1299 features a carbon fibre frame, swingarm, subframe, wheels and bodywork. Even the monocoque is now made of carbon fibre with aluminum alloy inserts. Fat loss has also been taken care of with the Ohlins FL936 43mm fork 1.36kg being lighter than the Panigale R Ohlins unit, and the Ohlins TTX36 rear shock fitted with a titanium spring for a further half a kilogram reduction.
The 1299 Superleggera uses a 1285cc Superquadro engine that essentially is based on Panigale’s basic architecture delivering a maximum power of 215bhp at 11,000rpm and maximum torque of 146.5Nm at 9,000rpm mated to a 6-speed gearbox with Ducati Quick Shift (DQS). Other MotoGP-inspired updates include a slip/assist function for better feel of the clutch thanks to a forged aluminum clutch basket, a six-axis inertial measurement unit, EVO versions of Ducati’s traction control and wheelie control systems that recently made their way onto the Anniversario editionof the Panigale.
What’s completely new for the 1299 Superleggera are tech goodies such as Ducati Slide Control (DSC) and Ducati Power Launch (DPL). DSC works with the IMU to control the engine’s torque as a function of the slide angle. It incorporates three new levels of intervention allowing to control the light weight superbike to be maneuvered in a controlled manner. DPL is a launch control system that engages automatically as you shift in to the third cog.
Globally there are only 500 of the Superleggera to be produced, Ducati has not confirmed how many examples will be apportioned for India.