Published: Today 4:30 p.m.

Only a few months ago, Ducati announced the news that their Superquadro twin-cylinder production nears end; a configuration that has existed in one variation or another for over 30 years.

It has fueled companies like 748, 749, 848, 899, 959 and the current Panigale V2but this is by no means the end of the road for the V-twin engine – but rather the beginning of a new one.

For 2025, Ducati will use a new 890cc V2 engine, which will produce 120 hp at 10,750 rpm, as well as 68.8 lb-ft of torque at 8,250 rpm. At 54.4 kg, it is the lightest twin ever to leave the doors of the Bologna factory.

For the eagle-eyed among you, you’ll notice that that’s 30 horsepower and 9 lb-ft of torque less than the previous one. Superquadro 955 engine of the outgoing Panigale V2, but also a weight gain of 9 kg.

So why has Ducati taken a route that, at first glance, can only be conceived as a downgrade in terms of specifications on everything except weight?

“It’s not a superbike engine, but something different that is built to be fun for the road,” Gianluca Zattoni, Ducati’s head of engine management, told us during an exclusive visit to the factory . “We have strived to make the new V2 light, compact and smooth, with good fuel consumption and emissions figures. For this reason, no parts have been carried over from the previous model.

And it’s evident when you look at the architecture of the new 90-degree V-twin. The bore/stroke ratio is 96mm x 61.5mm (the outgoing Superquadro measures 100mm x 60.8mm) for an oversized bore/stroke ratio, while the cylinders rotate rearward around the axis of the crankshaft, for an angle of 20 degrees between the front cylinder. and the horizontal plane in order to create a better balance of weights.

There is now a variable intake timing system also for smooth torque delivery at the bottom end without sacrificing power at the top, which works by varying the timing of the intake valve control over a 52 arc degrees.

The rocker arms are also treated with Diamond-Like-Carbon (DLC), a special coating typically found on high-end racing machines like Ducati Desmosedici MotoGP machine, and the V2 will be equipped with a 52mm throttle body.

The result is a redline of 11,750 rpm, but more importantly, a wider operating window when it comes to torque. Ducati claims that the new V2 will produce more than 70% of its torque from 3,000 rpm, and that between 3,500 rpm and 11,000 rpm, the torque on offer will not drop below the mark of 80%, which should bode well for road use, whatever happens. the Ducati model family trademarked it.

Speaking of which, while there has been no official confirmation on what exactly, it appears the new V2 block is intended to power a wide range of sub-liter Ducatis, albeit with tweaks between them to modify their character.

In reality, the investment in a completely new engine means the V2 is likely to cover the Mutlistrada, DesertX, Monster, Street fighterAnd Panigale models, at the very least.

It is widely expected that the first machines equipped with the new engine will be a new Streetfighter V2 and a new Panigale V2, with further members of the family to be revealed in 2025.

According to Ducati, this is due to the fact that it is a relatively small company (there are only 75 workers in the engine department) and does not have the necessary personnel volume to scale further. quickly.

Go the distance

Longevity is key, which is why the new V2 engine benefits from decent service intervals for a sports engine. It will have a 15,000 km (or 9,320 mile) oil change schedule, as well as a 30,000 km (or 18,641 mile) valve clearance check.

On a diet

The goal was to keep the V2 as small and light as possible. For example, the water pump is positioned on the front cylinder head to keep everything compact, while small changes like the intake valves having a hollow stem for the first time, or the thickness of the liner Water around the cylinder liner keeps the weight down.

Ready to ride

Ducati has built a completely new production line for the new V2 engine, which at its peak will offer the capacity to produce 90 complete engines per day. Each engine is assembled by an engineer from start to finish and takes approximately 110 minutes.

Watch: 2020 Ducati Panigale V2 Review Video