While it might be tradition to receive a present in honour of one’s 100th anniversary, in Ducati’s case it is the one offering a veritable gift to us with the unveiling of its limited-edition Ducati Superleggera V4 Centenario.
The hyper-sportsbike represents the pinnacle of Ducati’s technological and sporting expertise, a machine honed to be as powerful, as light and as advanced as is possible for a road-legal motorcycle.
This is the fourth iteration of the Superleggera line, which began in 2013 with the Ducati 1199 Superleggera, and it celebrates the Italian manufacturer’s centenary this year.
For 2026, the Ducati Superleggera V4 Centenario is based on the latest generation Ducati Panigale V4 and benefits from a raft of modifications to sharpen its potency, including innovations inspired by the firm’s MotoGP effort.
Developed to the brief of ‘total freedom, no constraints, no compromises’, according to Ducati, the Superleggera V4 Centenario is equipped with the Desmosedici Stradale R 1100 engine tuned to deliver 228hp in roadgoing trim.
However, this rises to 247hp with a racing exhaust in track configuration, giving the Superleggera V4 Centenario an ‘unprecedented’ power-to-weight ratio of 1.48hp/kg
Indeed, it’s on the racing circuit where the Superleggera V4 Centenario draws its inspiration from, Ducati’s rich sporting legacy - past and present – evident in its retro-themed livery and state-of-the-art components.
Significantly, the Superleggera V4 Centenario is the first road legal motorcycle to feature a braking system with carbon-ceramic discs and a fork with carbon fibre sleeves.
A fully carbon-fibre frame, swingarm and bodywork – not to mention titanium screws - contributes to keeping weight down to 167kg when dry (173kg with fuel).
Only 500 examples of the Ducati Superleggera V4 Centenario in Rosso Centenario colour will be built, the design reflecting the liveries of the manufacturer’s MotoGP and WorldSBK efforts, which themselves are influenced by classic liveries of the past in a further nod to the anniversary celebrations.
In addition, 100 Superleggera V4 Centenario Tricolore bikes will also be built showcasing an alternative look that echoes the 750 F1 Endurance Racing models of the 1980s.
.
- Motorcycles
- Ducati Motorcycles