Ducati Panigale V2 Teased. India Launch Soon

It will replace the Ducati 959 Panigale

• The most affordable Panigale draws inspiration from the Panigale V4.
• Its Euro 5-compliant 955cc motor makes 155PS, 5PS more than before.
• It now features a new 4.3-inch TFT display and improved rider aids.

Manufacturers like Ducati and BMW Motorrad are shifting gears in a bid to introduce new bikes into the market despite the lengthy lockdown in the country. To get right to it, Ducati has teased the new Panigale V2 via social media, hinting at its imminent launch. The new supersport will replace the 959 as the entry-level bike in the Panigale portfolio. It features a new design language that's inspired by the Panigale V4 but gets a different fuel tank, fairing and a stubby exhaust end-can. The bike will be manufactured in Thailand and imported to India via the CBU route.

Signature design elements like the LED headlight and taillight that give the Panigale its distinctive look have been retained. The V2 features the same monocoque frame as the 959 but Ducati says it's been tweaked to make it more agile.

At its heart lies a Euro 5/BS6-compliant 955cc V-twin motor that makes 155PS of power at 10,750rpm and 104Nm of torque at 9,000rpm. That's 5PS and 2Nm more than the Panigale 959. The bike's electronic suite has also been improved and gets a couple of additions such as cornering ABS, traction control, wheelie control, a bi-directional quick-shifter, engine brake control and a  6-axis Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU). All of this can be controlled via a new 4.3-inch TFT display.

In terms of hardware, the Panigale V2 retains the same suspension setup as the 959 Panigale: a 43mm Showa Big Piston Fork (BPF) at the front and a Sachs monoshock at the rear, both fully adjustable. Aside from this, the bike comes with a Sachs steering damper and a single-sided aluminium swingarm.

Going by the teaser images, the Ducati Panigale V2 isn't too far away from its India launch. In fact, it could be introduced as soon as the current lockdown lifts. Expect the bike to be priced around Rs 16 lakh (ex-showroom).