Ducati ushered in an era with V4 engines in the Panigale V4, Streetfighter V4 and Multistrada V4. The V4 is available in two versions, one with Desmodromic distribution, the other, classic, with spring return of the valves. In an interview, CEO Claudio Domenicali looked at the future of the V4 and announced new models. Will the Diavel V4 be the first new product that Ducati will unveil in a few days?
Diavel and XDiavel are currently equipped with the 1cc Testastretta twin. Although not Ducati's best-selling models, the Diavels certainly deserve an update which could come with a new engine, perhaps borrowed from the Multistrada.
The V4 Granturismo delivers 170 hp and 125 Nm, which would suit the Diavel perfectly, but there is a problem: the V4 is wide and does not fit into the tubular chassis of this Italian dragster. Basically, if Ducati put a V4 in the Diavel, it's likely that the engineers reworked the project and perhaps made a cleaner engine.
In the world of the most imaginative hypotheses, there is also room for that made by Motorrad : a V4 cut in two. It wouldn't be the first time this has happened, Aprilia has done it before too. Ducati would end up with a 579 cc twin-cylinder. A displacement which, in recent decades, has not brought great satisfaction to the Borgo Panigale factory. However, this cannot be ruled out, you just need to look outside Italy to find a flourishing production of engines under 700cc, as demonstrated by Yamaha and Kawasaki for example.
Ducati developed the V4 with a lot of resources and it is certainly unlikely that it will only be used on the Panigale, Streetfighter and Multistrada. A new V4-equipped model could also open the way to new motorcycles and new markets for the Italian manufacturer. We could find out if this strange theory already has something founded on September 2 during the first presentation announced by Ducati. The title sounds perfect: “The Unexpected”.
