It could be called coincidence, an issue of bad timing or simply one Italian motorcycle manufacturer thumbing their nose at another.

In the same week MV Agusta rolled out their inspiration, Ducati officially released details of the much awaited new 2012 Ducati 1199 Panigale Superbike. The fact that the splash page for the new motorcycle has ‘checkmate’ in large type was surely referring to the winning racing flag.

The unveiling comes after details about the all new Superquadro powerplant were revealed last month. This model sees a return to their superbike roots after spending the last few years focusing on its Multistrada 1200 and Diavel.

The long-awaited 1199 Panigale Superbike was presented alongside Ducati’s entire 2012 range in a Press Conference at the Teatro Dal Verme in Milan, Italy.

While some superbike fans may have felt slighted over the last few years with Ducati’s attention turned elsewhere CEO Gabriele Del Torchio explained at the conference that the hard work of the team at Ducati has brought very positive results for the company with sales of 42,000 motorcycles, a 20% increase over the prior year.

“All of this has enabled us to present the incredible new 1199 Panigale, the new benchmark in the sportbike arena, Del Torchio noted, “Without doubt, this has been the most ambitious project in Ducati’s history and underlines our engineering excellence and ‘product emotion’, an aspect of our brand which, in such a competitive market place, has become more important than ever.”

Ducati states the 1199 Panigale’s chassis represents a step forward in motorcycle design, merging multiple parts into one compact and lightweight component, while re-evaluating rider posture with a revised ergonomic triangle.

Using the Superquadro engine as a stressed member of the chassis, the short and strong aluminum monocoque is made in die-cast aluminum and is responsible for 5kg (11lb) of the overall weight saving of the new design.

The monocoque attaches to the cylinder heads of the new specially designed engine, protruding forward to house the steering head bearings and forming the airbox along the way, which is capped-off and sealed when the 2.9kg (6.3lb) lighter aluminum fuel tank is attached, again using one component to the fulfill the roles of two.

“This motorcycle represents pure Italian style, the reference point for performance and a safety-enhanced, confidence-inspiring experience for our customers on road and track,” Del Torchio said.

Ever the marketing machine, the new model will be offered in a paint scheme being dubbed ‘Tricolore’, which is in the red, white and green of Italy.

“What better occasion to celebrate the 150th anniversary of our national flag and underline our role and responsibility as ambassadors of the title ‘made in Italy’, than with a product of such style and technical excellence,” The Ducati CEO said.

Ducati hopes the ‘ground-breaking’ 1199 Panigale, 1199 Panigale S and flagship 1199 Panigale S Tricolore will open a new chapter in the company’s iconic Superbike history. Available early in 2012, Ducati’s new generation Superbike, ‘goes beyond the barriers of motorcycle design and engineering to set the most extreme benchmark ever and the direction for future sport bikes’.

Following a trend of bringing the latest technology to consumer motorcycles, Ducati is taking making of the winning components from their racing models and letting riders take it all home.

The weight of the Panigale has been centralized towards the front with the signature Ducati 90° L-twin configuration rotated, placing the top-end backwards around the crankshaft a further 6° to give more clearance on the front wheel and enable engineers to modify the front and rear weight bias.

This also enables a front-end geometry of 25.5° of rake and 100mm (3.94in) of trail.

Attaching directly to the rear of the engine, the new fully die-cast aluminum, single-sided swingarm is 39mm longer than the 1198, contributing to the increased the wheelbase of 1,437mm (56.6in) and the optimal weight distribution of the 1199 Panigale.

With the exhaust system now relocated below the engine, the die-cast aluminum rear sub-frame is considerably lighter and also attaches directly to the Superquadro engine, while the super lightweight, magnesium front sub-frame attaches directly to the monocoque frame, providing secure support for the headlamp, instrumentation and fairing. This combination of weight saving and centralization of mass around these high front and rear sub-frame areas substantially contributes to overall vehicle agility.

The new ergonomics parameters for seat position and handlebar have been deisgned with an effort to offer a fatigue-free riding position. Seat-to-handlebar dimension is shorter, 30mm (1.18in), and bar height is higher, 10mm (0.39in), and wider, 32mm (1.26in).

“Throughout our long and successful twin-cylinder history of racing, Ducati has never built a sportbike as advanced as the 1199 Panigale,” said Claudio Domenicali during the press conference, “We are moving into a new generation with a ‘revolution’ of the species that establishes new limits for the category.”

Ducati Motor Holding General Manager, Claudio Domenicali discussed not only the 1199 Panigale, but the entire line of the of the 2012 models. But the love for the new superbike was apparent.

“Its Desmodromic heart, the new Superquadro engine, is the most powerful twin-cylinder ever produced and represents the base of a new concept of frame and engine integration,”he said, “This concept enables the 1199 Panigale a dry weight of just 164kg and gives it a riding sensation that is closer than ever to a full race bike.“

And not every innovation and feature is about speed.

“With revised ergonomics, full Ride-by-Wire engine management and enhanced systems of ABS and traction control, we have controlled the beast within the 1199 Panigale so that the full emotion of this motorcycle can be enjoyed easily and safely,” Domenicali noted.

With the click of a button, Ducati’s Riding Mode concept delivers performance with enhanced rider confidence by combining seven class-leading technologies. The latest-generation sports ABS system, Ducati Traction Control (DTC), Ducati Electronic Suspension (DES), Ducati Quick-Shift (DQS), Ducati’s new race-derived Engine Brake Control (EBC) and Ride-by-Wire (RbW) are now all programmed into seamless, electronic rider assistance.

Even the full color Thin Film Transistor (TFT) display changes to suit the rider’s environment.

The 1199 Panigale introduces a very latest in sport-oriented ABS technology to enable full integration with the three-programmed Riding Modes.

Operating with the latest generation 9ME Bosch processor, the system enables full ABS on the front only, when in Race mode, allowing the rider initial braking drift on the rear during race track corner entry. The system also boasts a refined “rear lift-up” detection activated in Sport and enhanced in Wet Riding Modes.

Remaining almost undetectable at the lever, these advanced features enable shorter braking distances by optimizing brake force distribution for superior vehicle stability.

The advanced ABS, which is optional on the 1199 Panigale and 1199 Panigale S and standard equipment on the 1199 Panigale S Tricolore, can also be deactivated via the instrumentation control panel.

The horizontal twin headlamps have become more integrated with the frontal intake ducts and create a true “race face” for the new Superbike.

While the 1199 Panigale illuminates with LED positioning lights and main light bulbs, the 1199 Panigale S and Tricolore boast full LED positioning and lighting solutions, for the first time in the motorcycle world.

Twin rear lights are molded perfectly around the recessed seat air ducts and illuminate with an attractive light-guide surround effect, enhanced with LED brake lights. Front LED indicators are integrated into the mirror bodies and rear indicators, which are also LED are styled with clear lenses.

The 2012 Ducati superbike will be available in three versions – 1199 Panigale, 1199 Panigale S and 1199 Panigale S Tricolore. With the Ducati 1199 Panigale S, owners get the aforementioned electronically adjusted Ohlins suspension system with a 43mm NIX30 fork and TTX36 rear shock. The “S” package also gets different 3-spoke Marchesini wheels and comes with an “Aero kit,” consisting of two lateral attachments for the top section of the fairing which have been designed to further enhance aerodynamic penetration and reduce its drag coefficient.

The Ducati 1199 Panigale S Tricolore comes with a titanium racing muffler from Ducati Performance and a special red, white and green tricolore paint job. It also comes with the new generation DDA+, a data analysis package with a lap timer and other racer-related functions. The 2012 Ducati 1199 Panigale comes with a two-year warranty and costs $17,995; the "S" version lists for $22,995; while the Tricolore goes for $27,995.

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