italiaspeed.com: DUCATI

Ducati has chosen the magical atmosphere of the Italian Grand Prix at Mugello to launch the Desmosedici RR production prototype. The dream of a true GP replica has finally come true and the Desmosedici RR will be the first-ever road-going motorcycle to offer such a stunning wealth of performance and technology that comes directly from Ducati's experience in MotoGP. The RR derives from the Ducati Corse Grand Prix racing Desmosedici GP6, the same bike with which Loris Capirossi and Sete Gibernau are competing with in the 2006 MotoGP World Championship.

The Mugello launch is the perfect occasion to reveal the shape and the technical characteristics with which the bike will go to market, confirming the high technological features of this exclusive and esoteric machine. The body design and the aerodynamics faithfully reflect the Desmosedici GP6. The colour scheme, the fittings, the materials used in its construction as well as the technical features of the powerful four-cylinder desmodromic engine built by the Borgo Panigale factory engineers, leave no doubts whatsoever: the Desmosedici RR is the ultimate expression of the most extreme MotoGP racing machine today.

The project is currently in the industrialization phase and, as previously announced, it will be a limited edition motorcycle, with approximately 400 bikes being produced a year. The RR is scheduled to arrive in the market in July 2007, while from June 2nd 2006 it will be possible to reserve the bike through the official Ducati dealer network, with Ducati 999R owners receiving priority. This is the new frontier of Ducati technological evolution, a dream come true, demonstrating once again the courage and the passion of Ducati, as well as the ability to transfer the experience of the racing world to a machine that is destined for road use.

Federico Minoli - Chairman and Managing Director of Ducati Motor Holding - and Claudio Domenicali - Product Director of Ducati Motor and Managing Director of Ducati Corse - together with Ducati Corse riders Loris Capirossi, Sete Gibernau and Vittoriano Guareschi were at Mugello to unveil Ducati's latest jewel of technology. "This is an important moment for us, another dream come true. Producing the Desmosedici RR means offering the ultimate expression of Ducati technology, while remaining faithful to the tradition of every one of our road and racing bikes," declared Federico Minoli. "It is a challenge that we wanted to accept and although relatively few bikes will be made, the RR will be a true object of desire for all Ducatisti. It will be the ultimate Ducati experience, one that best exemplifies the passion and the ingenuity for which we are famous. Meanwhile the twin-cylinder remains and will continue to remain Ducati's traditional engine, having equipped all of our production models in the past and equipping them in the future."

"The Desmosedici RR is a true Grand Prix replica," commented Claudio Domenicali. "The technological level of this bike is extraordinarily high and for the first time ever all the authentic performance and technology of the ultimate MotoGP racing machine have been transferred to a road-going motorcycle. Over 200 hp of power for a bike that features exclusive components and quality materials, destined to become the new point of reference for production motorcycles.