Ducati Press Release:

SPECTACULAR DUCATI DIAVEL FINALLY UNVEILED AND BRAND NEW MONSTER 1100EVO REVEALED

Ducati open their EICMA 2010 week in pure Italian style with the first public unveiling of the DUCATI Diavel and the brand new Monster 1100EVO. The unveiling of these two models in Milan launches the Italian manufacturer’s proud exhibition of new models at EICMA’s 68th Milan International Motorcycle Show held at the Fiera Rho from 4-7 November.

Before the unveiling and detailing of Ducati’s new models, Gabriele Del Torchio, President of Ducati Motor Holding, took the opportunity to announce positive commercial results with further confirmation of the Italian manufacturer’s stable footing during a difficult period for the industry:

“2010 has been a year of great opportunity for Ducati and despite the difficult market environment, we have seen our market share double in the last three years, from 4.3% to 8.6%. By the end of 2010 we expect a sales growth of 6% compared to last year, a growth that is testimony to Ducati’s capacity to react, even during a contraction in the market. Essentially, we owe this to the creation of specific strategies within our 2007-2010 industrial plan. We continue to base the pillars of our strategy on loyalty to our mission: To be specialists and segment leaders in the sport bike sector, while working with determination on the development of highly innovative new products. This mission enables us to expand into new market segments like the Ducati Diavel, which we unveil here at EICMA.”

Mr. Del Torchio went on to explain: “Engineering quality and excitement quality are key elements of our development process. The engineering quality of our product has grown significantly over the last three years and now positions us at the apex of European industry. The excellent excitement quality, increasingly important in this competitive environment, is demonstrated by the unmistakable Italian style of our bikes and by their performance which delivers enhanced enjoyment and safety for our customers, whether on the road or the track.”

General Manager of Ducati Motor Holding, Claudio Domenicali, had the pleasure of introducing the big news of Ducati’s model year 2011 range:

“We are here at EICMA this week with a series of important innovations that are totally in line with our strategic industrial plan and the Ducati Diavel is, without doubt, the most exciting innovation in our 2011 line-up because it represents a new concept of motorcycle. It is a naked because it is essential, light and agile; a cruiser because it is imposing and also comfortable with a passenger; and a sports bike because it has a powerful heart, muscles, and levels of performance that take your breath away.”

“Until now,” Mr. Domenicali continued, “no segment has ever captured these characteristics in just one bike. We are extremely satisfied with the Ducati Diavel, it represents the very concept of ‘sport’ and celebrates all that Ducati has achieved in recent years. If the Multistrada 1200 represents the perfect synthesis between functionality and performance, the Ducati Diavel creates a new interpretation of performance, this time combined with technology and design. The new Monster 1100EVO and 848EVO, in addition to many other technical and style updates in the range, completes the 2011 range of which we are particularly proud.”

The centre of attention at Ducati’s Press Conference is undoubtedly the DUCATI Diavel, hailed as the new shape of power and style. The innovative new Ducati Diavel combines decades of twin-cylinder heritage and Italian style with a bold, world-beating technical confidence strong enough to extend the boundaries of motorcycle design. Custom shop beauty, state-of-the-art technology, innovative design and extraordinary riding pleasure have been masterfully blended into the Ducati Diavel, a motorcycle destined to shape the future.

Built to have a commanding presence, though lightweight and agile like all Ducatis, the Ducati Diavel is designed to take the man-motorcycle relationship to the next level in absolute comfort. For connoisseurs of technology, ABS, Ducati Traction Control and Ducati Riding Modes deliver a confidence-inspiring sophistication while stunning looks, 162hp and 207kg (456lb) of authentic Ducati performance drives a comfortable new sport lifestyle. Merging the worlds of power and style has been achieved with convincing precision. A specially engineered 240 section rear tyre combined with famous Ducati chassis technology serves up mind-blowing handling and lean angles, whether carving through curves or just riding out for a night on the town.

The latest ground-breaking Ducati is available in two versions: The brand new Ducati Diavel £12,995 and the flagship Ducati Diavel Carbon £15,495 (red version £15,895) with a character-forming mix of aesthetic and performance components from carbon fibre bodywork to forged and specially machined Marchesini wheels. The Ducati Diavel Carbon will be available in the UK from January 2011.

The long list of updates to the Monster family is now highlighted by the arrival of the Monster 1100EVO, which further enhances the Monster family’s defining concepts of functionality, style and sport with a full evolution of the flagship model. Taking its name from the Desmodue Evoluzione engine, which now delivers a milestone 100hp, the 1100EVO rolls out with a fully redesigned exhaust system, comfort-enhancing new seat and 20mm bar-riser, Marzocchi front suspension, refined tail-end, bold Corse-style graphics and the new Ducati Safety Pack (DSP) consisting of ABS and new 4-level Ducati Traction Control (DTC).

The new 1100EVO jewel of the Monster family will stand alongside the 2011 Monster range of 696 and 796, enhanced with revised ergonomics, Marzocchi front suspension and new sub-frame ready for the Ducati Performance grab-rail accessory, in addition to the 696’s new dark stealth and stone white colour schemes. The Monster 1100 EVO will be available from April 2011, price to be confirmed.

The award-winning and highly successful Ducati Multistrada 1200 moves into 2011 having proved its innovative concept and established itself as a new industry benchmark. Its ground-breaking design and unprecedented technology grabbed headlines all over the world since its arrival in March 2010 and the Multistrada’s 2011 entry without modification confirms the model’s high quality engineering.

Described as “sport bike perfection”, the 2011 Superbike model line-up presents the exciting new 848EVO with 140hp, Brembo Monobloc callipers, steering damper and stunning new arctic white silk colour scheme with red frame and red wheels and dark stealth finish with black frame and black wheels. The 1198 now comes equipped with Ducati Traction Control (DTC), Ducati Quick Shifter (DQS) and Ducati Data Analyser (DDA) as standard equipment while the brand new, track-ready 1198 SP rolls out with DTC, DQS, DDA, Ohlins TTX rear suspension, slipper clutch and lightweight aluminium fuel tank.

The application of DTC to the standard model 1198 underlines Ducati’s intention to broaden the use of tried and tested race-derived electronics to its high-powered range, while the introduction of DQS to the 1198 and 1198 SP marks the first time in history that “quick-shift” electronics have been fitted to a production Ducati.

For 2011, Ducati’s aggressive naked with “the soul of a Superbike and the attitude of a fighter” arrives full of aesthetic updates. The Streetfighter gets a new arctic white colour scheme, while the Streetfighter S gets a matching red Trellis frame for the red version and a racing black frame for the new diamond black. Both Streetfighter models get radiator covers in a new subtle black finish and both colour schemes of the ‘S’ now have black wheels.

In addition to the 2011 range of motorcycles, Ducati also presents the new and dynamic collection of accessories and apparel designed for performance, style and safety.

The Ducati Diavel, Monster 1100 Evo and full 2011 range will make their UK debut at Motorcycle Live from the 27th November to 5th December 2010. www.motorcyclelive.co.uk