The bar was set high for the launch of the limited-edition Ducati Panigale V4 Tricolore. Being unveiled at the Miami Art week meant it had to win over the art world as well as automotive enthusiasts — a task that could only be achieved with the perfect combination of innovation, tradition and passion for the project.
There are not many motorcycle manufacturers that could pull off a feat like that. But for Ducati, this represented a chance to celebrate 40 years of the style, performance and sophistication of the Tricolore models.
The Tricolore livery, with the green, white and red colours of the Italian flag, has featured on some of the most important Ducati bikes, a symbol of the Bologna-based brand’s innovation, sporting success and industrial relaunch.
The first Ducati with the Made in Italy livery was the 750 F1, unveiled exactly 40 years ago. The 750 F1 not only marked Ducati’s return to the supersport world, and the adaptation of race technology to give the bike a competitive edge, but it also started the Tricolore family of the most prestigious versions of Ducati sports bikes.
Ducati 851
In 1988 the special livery returned in the shape of the Ducati 851. The bike featured a new engine and advanced technology that heralded a new era of modern Ducati superbikes. The 851 with its green, white and red livery put Ducati at the forefront of racing and production motorcycles.
Almost two decades later, in 2007, the livery returned to the roads with the 1098 S Tricolore. From here, the Tricolore livery was assigned to special editions that celebrated either the start or end of an iconic model’s production run.
Examples of this tradition include the 2008 Monster S4Rs, the 1199 S Tricolore (2012), the 1299 Final Edition (2016), the Panigale V4 Speciale (2018) and the 2023 Monster 30° Anniversario.
And now, the new generation of Panigale V4 joins the exclusive club of Tricolore specials. But creating a limited-edition motorcycle takes more than just a bit of paint, and the question is: How do you improve a motorcycle that’s already at the top of its segment?
Ducati has an answer for that: You draw on your rich history and tradition, capitalise on your dominance of motorcycle racing, and bring in new innovation. In short, you make it even faster, more beautiful and highly collectable.
The Panigale V4 Tricolore, the latest Ducati to celebrate Made in Italy, and a tribute to the brand’s history, brings a whole host of firsts to the tradition of Tricolore specials.
The asymmetric livery of the Panigale V4 Tricolore, designed by Aldo Drudi together with Ducati’s design centre, Centro Stile Ducati, is one of the features never seen on a Ducati before. The white, red and green of the Italian flag are combined with the black and white of the checkered flag, the symbol of victory, shown on the lower part of the fairing.
The number plates with the number one on the front and on the sides of the fairing are a tribute to the absolute dominance of Ducati in motorcycle racing in 2024. In 2024 the Borgo Panigale-based company has won the MotoGP Riders' and Manufacturers' titles for the third time in a row, the World Manufacturers' title in Superbike, the Riders' title in Supersport, and the Italian Motocross title with the 450 MX on its debut season.
For the first time in Ducati history, the Tricolore is made even more exclusive with technical equipment improving its performance on track. The key performance upgrade is the race-spec Brembo Front Brake Pro braking system – a world first in a production bike.
There are also five-spoke carbon fibre rims, a dry clutch, adjustable footpegs in solid aluminium, and a GPS module.
Adding even more class and race DNA to the bike are a racing tank cap in solid aluminium, brake calliper conveyors, open clutch cover in carbon fibre, and a kit for removing the licence plate holder.
Making the riding experience even more special are the Alcantara seat, the racing plexiglass, and the dedicated animation of the dashboard at key-on. Detail is everything.
Finally, each motorcycle in the limited run of 1000 units is made unique with the model’s name and unit number, a certificate of authenticity and a dedicated motorcycle cover, delivered in a special personalised box made to match the livery.
For the style conscious, there is also the option to complete the look with a limited-edition helmet and jacket featuring a colour scheme echoing that of the motorcycle.
The Ducati Panigale V4 Tricolore represents the ultimate in a production bike. It takes the fire-breathing Panigale V4, and takes it to another level of artistry and exclusivity with every inch considered, every feature tuned to perfection, while losing none of the pure thrill of the ride. It weighs in at 188kg and makes a heady 216hp, giving it a power-to-weight ratio that would shame any supercar.
It will be produced in a limited run of 1,000 bikes, with a price of £48,000 – a value that’s sure to only go up once the collectors start trading them.
See more here ducati.com
