Ducati has been caught testing the next-gen 959 Panigale. We’ve got a few spy shots of the test mule which reveal that not much has changed.
The new Panigale is most likely to look similar to its elder sibling, the mighty V4. As can be seen in the spy shots, some part of the fairing is covered in disguise which means that some changes have been made there. We can also clearly see that a new single-sided swingarm has replaced the older double-sided unit for enhanced performance.
It’s being said that the new Ducati 959 Panigale will continue to have the same L-twin engine but with some internal modifications to help it produce more power. There were some rumours earlier suggesting that Ducati is going to ditch its 90-degree V-twin and a detuned version of the new V4 engine will be used in the new Panigale. Ducati will also make some necessary changes in the exhaust of the new bike to make sure it meets the latest emission norms and regulations.
We wouldn’t be surprised to see the new 959 Panigale at this year’s EICMA motorcycle show in Nov. The current-gen model, which Ducati India sells at a starting price of Rs 13.97 lakh (ex-showroom, New Delhi), is powered by a 955cc engine that produces 156PS and 107Nm. It can reach a top speed of 202kph.
