Exclusive: Ducati to Showcase 959 Panigale at IBW 2016; Launch in July

In fact, the extremely sharp 899 Panigale was the second best selling Ducati in India after the Diavel and accounted for one-third of the company sales. The 959 adds more power and electronics to the package. The styling upgrades are evident and come from the flagship Panigale including a protective front fairing that has grown taller and wider with getting larger air intakes. The twin headlight setup has been tweaked and there is a side mounted exhaust in a bid to comply with the Euro 4 emission norms. That said, it needs to be seen if Ducati will opt for the US spec 959 Panigale in India that continues with the underbelly exhaust unit.

Talking about the powertrain, the 2016 Ducati 959 Panigale uses a new 955cc Superquadro V-Twin engine tuned to produce peak power of 157bhp and 107Nm of torque at 9000rpm. The motor comes with a longer piston stroke along with a redesigned crankshaft and crank journal lubrication as well as new cylinder heads, Diamond Like Carbon (DLC) coating and aluminium top covers. In fact, the twin-pot motor is the first of its series from Ducati to pass the Euro 4 regulations.

Other upgrades on the 2016 Ducati 959 Panigale include a new clutch with self-servo mechanism and new rearview mirrors borrowed from the 1299 Panigale. The wheelbase is shorter now and the suspension steeper for improved handling. Electronic goodies are in abundance inclusive of traction control, engine braking control, Ride by Wire with adjustable riding modes, quickshifter and ABS. Buyers also get the optional Ducati Data Analyzer (DDA) to keep a tab on their lap records and track performance. Expect prices for the 959 Panigale to start around Rs. 15 lakh (ex-showroom).