Twin cylinder lifeline | Ducati confirms plans to introduce new V2 Panigale to replace defunct Superquadro

Ducati say they will be sticking with twin-cylinder powertrains for their mid-capacity sportsbikes, with the company’s Head of Product Communications, Giulio Fabbri, revealing to MCN that a new twin-cylinder Panigale is in the works. 

The news comes just days after Ducati announced the final edition of the Superquadro V2 Panigale, seeing an end of production to the model and seemingly spelling the end for more than three decades of 90-degree V-twin Ducati sportsbikes. 

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The middleweight V2 is the only current V-twin configuration Panigale in Ducati’s lineup, after the Italian marque adopted a four cylinder only approach to its flagship Panigale superbike back in 2018, heralding the demise of the 1299 model line.

However, an exclusive World Ducati Week interview with the Ducati communications boss uncovered plans to release an all new supersport class machine, with Fabbri claiming there is no intension to move the replacement supersport Panigale to a V4 platform. 

Fabbri told MCN: “It’s not the V2 that is leaving the market, it’s just that particular engine that is going. It’s just the final edition of the V2 Superquadro, but something new will come.  

“For sure, we will continue to see a supersport Panigale with a V2. But it’s still very early to talk about the future. I cannot say when something new will arrive, but for us it is very important and the V2 engine is special. It is part of the culture of Ducati. 

“We always present many bikes every year, so be ready to for something interesting. 

“This new bike will be the first completely new bike for 2025. More is yet to come for next year and I’m sure you’re going to enjoy it.” 

Naturally, no price or specs have been finalised yet, but when the reborn V2 does come to market, it will replace the current 955cc, 153bhp Panigale V2 – which took over from the 959 back in 2020 to meet Euro 5 emissions regulations.   

Capacity is unlikely to exceed that of its predecessor in order to maintain compliance with current supersport regulations, as it seems unlikely that Ducati would choose to forgo eligibility for the series by making a larger capacity machine, especially with the renewed market interest in the supersport category – as evidenced by the sales success of Honda’s CBR600RR, which topped the middleweight sales charts in June. 

It’s possible that styling and tech changes could trickle down from the Bologna brand’s flagship model – the newly announced V4 and V4S, which receives a subtle hike in power from 213 to 216 ponies, as well as a greatly updated electronics package, radical new swingarm and a tweaked chassis to improve feel and rideability.