Ducati reveal stunning 1299 Panigale S Anniversario
This ultra-limited edition Ducati Panigale S Anniversario is a 205bhp high-tech update for the range-topping Italian superbike aimed at marking 90 years since the company was founded.
Ducati are promising this bike is the pinnacle of road-going superbike development so far and was unveiled by former MotoGP champion and Ducati test rider Casey Stoner along with Ducati CEO Claudio Domenicali at the glitzy World Ducati Week festival held over the weekend.
The Anniversario gets a host of technical and electronic improvements thrown at the bike in the hope of making it the closest possible to that of the factory World Superbike Panigale raced by Brit Chaz Davies.
The bike appears to fall between the current 1299 Panigale S and Panigale R in terms of spec, while being spiritually closer to the ultra-expensive Superleggera that was launched in 2014. Ducati say it will also use a new version of the Ducati Traction Control (DTC) dubbed DTC EVO, which will allow riders to drift the bike on the power and use the throttle to steer the bike; all in total control as the electronic control systems will prevent the bike crashing.
The Anni is a strictly limited edition model, with just 500 are being built globally – guaranteeing instant collector status, and a massive rush to buy this bike. Each bike will have an etched numbered top yoke to signify which number of the 500 it is.
Most striking to look at is the new racing-inspired black, white and red paintjob which owes a lot to the factory racing bikes in both WSB and MotoGP, and clearly sets the bike apart from the rest of the range. The gold-painted wheels are a traditional touch for Ducati limited edition bikes through the years, and there’s a gold hue to the special Akrapovic exhausts, too.
A new steering head insert shifts the front wheel forwards by 5mm, exactly matching the chassis geometry of the range-topping Panigale R, while a special lightweight lithium battery, carbon-fibre heelguards, hugger, and a different rear shock unit all contribute to the Anni shedding 2.5kg over the S model.