First details of Ducati’s 1299 Superleggera emerge

DUCATI has something special waiting in the wings – a 1299 Superleggera that we expect to be revealed at the Eicma show in Milan in a few weeks’ time.

Currently the bike exists under the name ‘Project 1408’. Select details about it have been made available to VIP Ducati customers via the invite-only Project 1408 website which has recently gone live.

So far, we know that it promises to be light thanks to a carbon frame and airbox, swingarm and carbon BST wheels – as detailed in the screenshots of the Project 1408 site that are currently floating round various Ducati forums.

The low weight is rumoured to be matched by a serious power figure - around 220hp thanks to a very heavily tuned engine, the most powerful V-twin Ducati has ever made. If we look to what Ducati did to the engine in the 1199 Superleggera then we can expect head work, new internals, the best materials and fuelling changes

We also understand that the exhaust system will be similar to what’s on Ducati’s factory World Superbike Panigale R, with twin underseat Akrapovic silencers rather than the 1299’s traditional under-engine design.

Elsewhere, the spec is certain to impress but Ducati isn’t revealing all just yet – only certain sections of the Project 1408 site are viewable at the moment.

The price is expected to be in the region of £60k - £70k but nothing has been announced yet and Ducati hasn’t said how many of the bikes will be built.