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2012 Ducati 1199 Panigale
With a claimed 195 horsepower from the brand-new Superquadro L-Twin Desmo, the 2012 Ducati 1199 Panigale will become the motorcycle with the highest power-to-weight ratio.
This is mostly due to the "radically" designed Superquadro engine, the name deriving from the massively over-square bore and stroke ratio.
This engine is completely new in the Ducati lineup; out of 500 engine parts, the Superquadro only kept 15 elements of the previous model 1198, including Fabio Taglioni’s 90-degree L-Twin configuration and Desmodromic valve control.
The Superquadro also features elements designed from the same MotoGP technology used in Valentino Rossi’s bike, such as the vacuum pump in the crankcase.
Ducati says: "The pump is driven by the main oil pump shaft and effectively maintains constant vacuum in the crankcase area below the pistons, reducing atmospheric resistance during the down- stroke of the piston and controlling the internal ‘breathing’ of the engine."
This new Ducati feat won’t be unveiled until the EICMA International Motorcycle Show in Milan Nov. 10-13. But the Italian company continues to release bits of information leading up to the unveiling of the 1199 Panigale, including the official Ducati video above that describes the Superquadro.
