Ducati Superleggera V4 Centenario: 500 carbon masterpieces mark 100 year celebrations

Ducati has revealed the Superleggera V4 Centenario, a limited-edition machine produced in just 500 numbered units to celebrate the manufacturer’s centenary. It is the most extreme road-legal motorcycle the Bologna company has ever built.

The Centenario introduces two genuine world firsts: carbon-ceramic brake discs approved for road use, and a pressurised Ohlins NPX 25/30 fork with carbon fibre outer tubes, technologies borrowed directly from MotoGP and Formula 1 development programs.

Power comes from a new engine developed specifically for this model. The Desmosedici Stradale R 1100 displaces 1103 cc, up from the 998cc unit of previous Superleggera generations which was achieved through a longer stroke of 53.5mm.

In road-legal Euro 5+ configuration, the engine produces 170kW (228hp) at 14,500 rpm. Fit the included Akrapovic racing exhaust and load the DAVC Race Pro software, and that figure rises to 184kW (247hp) at 14,750 rpm. Peak torque is 117.6Nm at 10,500 rpm in street trim.

Wet weight without fuel is 173kg, dropping to 167kg in full racing configuration. These figures made possible by a chassis constructed entirely from carbon fibre. The frame, swingarm, subframes and wheels are all carbon, with the front frame alone weighing 17 per cent less than the aluminium equivalent on the standard Panigale V4.

The swingarm, produced via a sacrificial mandrel process, is 21 per cent lighter than its aluminium counterpart while matching it for lateral and torsional stiffness. The result is a power-to-weight ratio of 1.48hp/kg in race configuration.

The carbon-ceramic Brembo Hyction discs measure 340 mm and are built around a C/SiC core, a carbon fibre-reinforced ceramic compound. Compared to equivalent steel discs they shed 450 grams per disc and reduce rotational inertia by 40 per cent. They are paired with new GP4-HY monoblock calipers featuring integrated cooling fins and an anti-drag system that fully releases the disc on lever release.

At the rear, an Ohlins TTX36 GP LW shock absorber with MotoGP-derived valves and titanium suspension linkages completes the package.

The desmodromic valve timing is set by hand and certified by a signed nameplate from the technician who performs the adjustment. The engine features titanium intake valves, titanium connecting rods and a lightened crankshaft using tungsten counterweight inserts in place of steel, reducing rotating mass without sacrificing balance.

Electronics are derived from the Panigale V4 R platform and include DVO-calibrated versions of Ducati Traction Control, Wheelie Control, Slide Control and Power Launch, alongside a new Engine Brake Control DVO strategy featuring Dynamic Engine Brake. The DEB function automatically modulates engine braking and applies the rear brake during corner entry which replicates the technique used by professional riders.

The livery is finished in Rosso Centenario, described by Ducati as a dark red referencing the company’s 1949 origins, and is the same colour scheme that informed the 2026 MotoGP Lenovo team Desmosedici livery. A separate run of 100 Tricolore variants also exists, drawing on the heritage of the 750 F1 Endurance Racing machine from the 1980s.

Each motorcycle is delivered in a custom wooden case containing the racing kit, a certificate of authenticity, paddock stands, mat, motorcycle cover and a neoprene racing seat. The upper steering plate is laser-engraved with the individual unit number out of 500.

Twenty-six owners will additionally be offered access to a MotoGP Experience on 6 and 7 July 2026, immediately following World Ducati Week, which culminates in a session aboard the DesmosediciGP26. The experience is not included in the purchase price.

Pricing for the Australian market has not been announced. Ducati notes that specifications remain subject to change pending final homologation.

Spencer Leech

Spencer has a keen eye for hard news, and does some of his best living on deadline day. He loves more than anything to travel on his motorcycle, and is adamant that Melbourne Bitter is a world-class lager. By night, Spencer plays guitar with Melbourne punk outfit LOUTS.

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