Ducati strengthens presence in Malaysia as it unveils the largest Ducati Centre in Asia and introduces the award-winning 1199 Panigale!

Petaling Jaya, 19 April 2012 – In conjunction with the launch of the Ducati 1199 Panigale, the doors of Asia’s largest and most comprehensive Ducati Centre were opened to the public today, following the official opening by YB Dato’ Mukhriz bin Tun Dr. Mahathir, the Deputy Minister of International Trade and Industry. Marking yet another milestone for Next Bike Sdn Bhd, sole importer and distributor of Ducati in Malaysia, YB Dato’ Mukhriz was accompanied by Datuk Wira SM Faisal Tan Sri SM Nasimuddin, Joint Group Executive Chairman of NAZA Group, Dato’ SM Zulkifli SM Amin, Group Chief Operating Officer of NAZA Group, His Excellency Folco De Luca Gabrielli, Italian Ambassador to Malaysia, Mr. Mirko Bordiga, Chief Executive Officer of Ducati Asia Pacific. More than 250 guests joined the event which included representatives from 10 Ducati distributors from throughout Asia Pacific countries –Vietnam, Philippines, Indonesia, Taiwan, Hong Kong, South Korea, Thailand, Singapore, China and India.

NAZA has always been known for playing an active role in the local automotive industry. With its long-term vision, smart partnerships and support of the Government, the NAZA Group is propelling its way into the International Arena. Since being granted the rights of distributorship in Malaysia, NAZA’s commitment to Ducati and its various achievements in further developing the brand in this region; has been a shining example of what home-grown Malaysian companies can accomplish.

Joint Group Executive Chairman of NAZA Group, Datuk Wira SM Faisal Tan Sri SM Nasimuddin stated: “NAZA has been given the option of becoming the distributor of Ducati bikes in any country where Ducati has yet to appoint a distributor. In other words, NAZA will be involved in the total globalization of Ducati distributorship with the blessing of Ducati Holding.”

“The same approach is also being discussed with other international brands that are currently in NAZA’s stable. Thus far, the government and government agencies have been very proactive in assisting the local businesses abroad and I believe the same will apply with this undertaking,” he added.

Datuk Wira SM Faisal further stated that NAZA is amidst discussions with its partners regarding plans to assemble big bikes inMalaysia. In the long run, NAZA intends to make Malaysia the assembly hub for the Asia Pacific market, and more specifically the ASEAN market.

At 15,000sq ft and sporting an impressive Ducati showroom, Coffee Lounge, Ducati Club Lounge for private meetings of Ducati Owners Club members, Fitness Centre, Ducati Merchandise Square, a pre-owned Ducati showroom and after sales centre (with 8 service bays and a suspension tuning room), the Ducati Centre at NAZA Automall PJ is essentially a sophisticated one-stop solution for Ducati owners and enthusiasts alike.

Ducati lovers and customers now have the opportunity to view a wide range of motorcycles at the refreshed showroom; from well maintained pre-owned bikes and classic Ducati favourites to exhilarating and futuristic new models. With a variety of facilities developed specially for its patrons, the Ducati Centre is the ‘home away from home’ for local Ducatisti and visiting foreign Ducatisti. More than just a showroom, the centre is a place for Ducati owners to gather, relax in the company of those with a shared passion and even work out at the fully equipped fitness centre.

As part of NAZA’s commitment to its customers, the after-sales service centre is equipped with 8 service bays manned by dedicated technicians that have been well trained by Ducati APAC personnel.

“Providing an excellent after-sales service to our customers is part of our vision and our commitment,” shared Datuk Wira SM Faisal.

Adding to the excitement of the grand opening was the reveal of the award-winning Ducati 1199 Panigale. Marking a new chapter of Ducati’s iconic Superbike history, the 1199 Panigale combines an incredibly high tech and powerful twin-cylinder engine with an innovative monocoque chassis concept to deliver an astounding 195hp from 164kg of Italian purebred.

At just the click of the button, Ducati’s Riding Mode delivers performance with enhanced rider confidence by combining seven class-leading technologies. The latest generation sports ABS system, Ducati Traction Control (DTC), Ducati Electronic Suspension (DES), Ducati Quick-Shift (DQS), Ducati’s new race-derived Engine Brake Control (EBC) and Ride-by-Wire (RbW) are now all programmed into seamless, electronic rider assistance. Even the full colour Thin Film Transistor (TFT) display changes to suit the rider’s environment.

With the latest addition to the Ducati Superbike family, Ducati’s focus on sportbikes is stronger than ever. Bred for the track and trained for the road, the 1199 Panigale is a true revolution of the species. “Moving into the 2nd quarter, we are greatly encouraged by Ducati’s successful 1st quarter sales of more than 300 units, of which 70% was contributed by sales of the monster 795”, stated Datuk Wira SM Faisal.

The 1199 Panigale which earned the title of ‘Most Beautiful Bike of Show’ at the EICMA 69^th International Motorcycle Show in Milan, is priced within RM160,888 to RM209,999. With limited units available due to global demand and the booking list at Next Bike Sdn Bhd already exceeding 20 units, it’s clear that this model is a sure-fire winner.

More exciting information about Ducati Malaysiamay be obtained at http://ducatimalaysia.com and http://thecarguys.my/pZD while further information of NAZA may be obtained from http://www.nazaworld.com.my or http://thecarguys.my/d04. Follow @DucatiMalaysia and @Naza_World for the latest updates and offerings of Ducati and NAZA World. For more information, please contact Ducati Centre Malaysia at 03-7953 2888.

SUPERBIKE 1199 PANIGALE

The most extreme benchmark

The 2012 Ducati Superbike family marks the official introduction of the ground-breaking 1199 Panigale, 1199 Panigale S and flagship 1199 Panigale S Tricolore and opens a new chapter in the company’s iconic Superbike history.

The new generation Superbike goes beyond the barriers of motorcycle design and engineering to set the most extreme benchmark ever and the direction for future sport bikes. Developed in the red-hot environment of racing and designed to raise the performance bar to its highest, the 1199 Panigale uses innovative Ducati Corse-derived solutions to make World Championship level technology available to everyone.

The most high tech, most powerful twin-cylinder production engine on the planet is now an integral part of an innovative monocoque chassis that combine to deliver an astonishing 195hp from 164kg* (361.5lb) of futuristic Italian thoroughbred. The highest production motorcycle power-to-weight and torque-to-weight ratios in the world are fitting trophies for the incredible results that Ducati have achieved.

With the click of a button, Ducati’s Riding Mode concept delivers performance with enhanced rider confidence by combining seven class-leading technologies. The latest-generation sports ABS system, Ducati Traction Control (DTC), Ducati Electronic Suspension (DES), Ducati Quick-Shift (DQS), Ducati’s new race-derived Engine Brake Control (EBC) and Ride-by-Wire (RbW) are now all programmed into seamless, electronic rider assistance. Even the full colour Thin Film Transistor (TFT) display changes to suit the rider’s environment.

State-of-the-art from the ground-up and melding latest technologies with exciting new family features, the 1199 Panigale is totally “Ducati” in every respect. Its no-compromise approach to sport design and stylish attention to incredibly fine detail presents authentic Italian performance at its purist.

Racing is the platform on which Ducati has always challenged and measured itself. It is a discipline for designers and engineers and the bedrock of motivation for a company in which the constant desire for victory has become a way of life. With over 300 World Superbike race wins, more World Championship titles than all other manufacturers together and the passionate driver of innovation in MotoGP, Ducati’s focus on sportbikes is stronger than ever.

Ducati now combine the innovative “monocoque” frame solution with the extraordinary new “Superquadro” L-twin engine design and race-derived electronics to produce the champion of all Superbikes. Bred for the track and trained for the road, the new 1199 Panigale is a true revolution of the species destined to influence the entire sportsbike environment. Available early in 2012, the new Superbike will be built in 1199 Panigale, 1199 Panigale S and 1199 Panigale S Tricolore versions.

*Dry weight

Revolution of the species

Every generation of Superbike produced at Ducati represents an accurate and historic snap-shot of technology and engineering solutions at that time. Some features like the Trellis frame and under-seat exhaust will remain as legendary milestones in Superbike history, innovative benchmarks qualified by endless imitation.

In the predatory world of racing, however, where complacency risks extinction, a constant Darwinian-like adaption to the environment would not have been enough for survival. Instead, Ducati invested its time in a “revolution” of the species, not an evolution. An innovative and ingenious breakthrough design where multiple vital components have morphed into one to create the new monocoque skeleton of the 1199 Panigale.

Designers and Engineers of the new generation Superbike were given a “blank canvas” to reach the apparently impossible 1199 Panigale targets of 10kg less weight and 25hp more power. Every detail, every dimension and every design decision has been driven entirely by a zero-compromise brief to create the highest performance Ducati Superbike of all time. The 1199 Panigale now sets the most extreme benchmark ever and its arrival represents one of the most historic moments in Ducati’s incredible Superbike history.

Pronounced “Pan-ee-gah-lee”, the new model breaks with Ducati’s Superbike tradition by adding a name to its 1199 engine designation, making a significant association to its historic roots in the Borgo Panigale area of Bologna. In an Italian territory known as “Motor Valley” and where high performance and racing runs through the veins of its passionate people, Ducati now underline their pride in being world ambassadors for the “Made in Italy” title and immortalize their birthplace in the name of the new Superbike.

Unmistakably Ducati

Every last detail of the 1199 Panigale pays tribute to the rich heritage of racing on which Ducati is built. Components that are not only functionally efficient, but also minimalist, essential and beautifully engineered into pieces of automotive art.

Climb aboard the 1199 Panigale and take hold of the bars and the feeling of pure racing is everywhere. The finely formed top-clamp with weigh-saving hollows and recesses immediately communicates Italian engineering at its very best.

Radial brake and clutch pumps, Ducati’s precise switchgear and full Ride-by-Wire twistgrip give a racedriven sense of minimalism further enhanced with the monocoque-integral steering head flowing into the magnesium front sub-frame and Ducati Corse-style instrumentation. Revised rider ergonomics are immediately noticeable from the cockpit with seat-to-handlebar dimension 30mm (1.18in) shorter and bar height 10mm (0.39in) higher and 32mm (1.26in) wider. Even the lightweight, 17 litre (4.5 gal US) aluminium fuel tank is sculpted perfectly to the rider.

The horizontal twin headlamps have also become more integrated with the frontal intake ducts and create a true “race face” for the new Superbike. While the 1199 Panigale illuminates with LED positioning and conventional main light, the 1199 Panigale S and Tricolore boast motorcycling’s first ever full LED positioning and main light solutions.

Twin rear lights are moulded perfectly around the recessed seat air ducts and illuminate with an attractive light-guide surround effect, enhanced with LED brake lights. Front LED indicators are integrated into the mirror bodies and rear indicators, which are also LED*, are styled with clear lenses.

The majority of the frontal air ducts feed the main airbox, while a small splitter also diverts air into the fairing bodywork to ensure efficient cooling for the onboard electronics. The carefully executed shape at the rear of the fairing enables a highly efficient exit from the radiator area, protecting the Superquadro’s power output and further reducing aerodynamic resistance.

The sleek shape of the seat and tail-piece is now accentuated by the relocation of the exhaust system, further enhancing the aggressive stance of a true Ducati Superbike.

*Country specific

Monocoque technology

The 1199 Panigale’s chassis represents Ducati’s innovative and courageous step forward in motorcycle design, merging multiple parts into one compact and lightweight component, while re-evaluating rider posture with a revised ergonomic triangle. Developed in the super-competitive racing environment, the extremely compact monocoque construction integrates the airbox to become one of the key elements in reducing the Superbike’s overall dry weight by an incredible 10kg (22lb) to a benchmark 164kg (361.5lb).

Using the Superquadro engine as a stressed member of the chassis, the short and strong aluminium monocoque is made in die-cast aluminium and is responsible for 5kg (11lb) of the overall weight saving of the new design. The monocoque attaches to the cylinder heads of the new specially designed engine, protruding forward to house the steering head bearings and forming the airbox along the way, which is capped-off and sealed when the 2.9kg (6.3lb) lighter aluminium fuel tank is attached, again using one component to the fulfil the roles of two.

While the cylinders remain true to Ducati’s signature 90° L-twin configuration, the new engine has rotated the top-end backwards around the crankshaft a further 6° to give more clearance on the front wheel and enable engineers to modify the front and rear weight bias. This also enables a front-end geometry of 24.5° of rake and 100mm (3.94in) of trail. Attaching directly to the rear of the engine, the new fully die-cast aluminium, single-sided swingarm is 39mm longer than the 1198, contributing to the increased the wheelbase of 1,437mm (56.6in) and weight distribution of the 1199 Panigale from 50/50 to 52% front and 48% rear with average-size rider onboard.

With the exhaust system now relocated below the engine, the die-cast aluminium rear sub-frame is considerably lighter and also attaches directly to the Superquadro engine, while the super lightweight, magnesium front sub-frame attaches directly to the monocoque frame, providing secure support for the headlamp, instrumentation and fairing. This combination of weight saving and centralisation of mass around these high front and rear sub-frame areas substantially contributes to overall vehicle agility.

Innovative suspension

Incorporating Ducati’s Riding Mode technology into the Superbike for the first time, the 1199 Panigale S and Tricolore are fully equipped with front and rear Ducati Electronic Suspension (DES) system by Öhlins. The 43mm Öhlins NIX30 forks are adjustable electronically in compression and rebound damping, while spring pre-load is manual. An adjustable steering damper completes the full Öhlins package. The Öhlins TTX36 rear unit features twin tube technology to offer totally separate damping adjustment in compression and rebound and minimise the risk of cavitation under extreme conditions. The unit is fully adjustable electronically in compression and rebound damping, while spring pre-load is manual.

The electronic suspension adjustment can be made either by using the pre-set Riding Modes, which have been developed by Ducati test riders and racers, or in independent mode, which allows riders to use their own personal and saveable settings. Digital damping adjustments send signals that execute the mechanical adjustment via electronic actuators mounted in the suspension units.

The 1199 Panigale uses brand new, incredibly lightweight, 50mm pressurised Marzocchi usd forks that feature hard-anodised aluminium sliders. Proven by Marzocchi in the most severe off-road environments, the new aluminium fork assembly uses a pressurised damping system that also enables a reduction in oil capacity and, therefore, also weight. They represent a cutting-edge solution for the 1199 Panigale, saving a further 1kg (2.2lb) on a project which demanded innovation to achieve the extreme weight-saving targets set by designers.

Fully adjustable in spring pre-load and compression and rebound damping, the matte champagne coloured fork bodies house low-friction, hard-anodised black aluminium sliders and forged aluminium fork bottoms with beautifully formed radial calliper mountings. A fully adjustable Sachs rear suspension unit completes the package.

On all versions of the 1199 Panigale, the fork leg centres are set to World Superbike-style widths, enabling uncompromised air-flow to the brake discs for optimum cooling.

The rear suspension of the 1199 Panigale features a stylish and practical side-mounting, enabling increased space for the rear cylinder head, which has been rotated further backwards around the new engine. The unique positioning renders the unit totally accessible for spring pre-load and rider-height adjustment, and is designed to provide a fast and easy linkage adjustment by simply changing the pushrod fixing-point from “progressive rate” for road use with a passenger to “flat rate” for track use.

New generation brakes

For its new generation of Superbike, Ducati ensured the selection of an equally new braking system. The 1199 Panigale is exclusively equipped with new generation Brembo Monobloc M50 callipers, presenting a super-compact design that reduces their total unsprung weight by 7%.

Machined from a single piece of alloy, the callipers achieve a higher rigidity and resistance to distortion during extreme braking. The resulting increase in hydraulic efficiency not only delivers incredible braking power, but also provides an enhanced and precise ‘feel’ at the brake lever. The twin Monobloc M50 callipers each have four 30mm pistons that grip 330mm discs to achieve spectacular braking performance.

Sport-oriented ABS/CBS

The 1199 Panigale introduces the very latest in sport-oriented ABS technology to enable full integration with Ducati’s three pre-programmed Riding Modes. Operating with the latest generation 9ME Bosch processor, the system enables full ABS on the front only, when in Race mode, allowing the rider initial braking drift on the rear during race track corner entry. The system then activates full front and rear ABS, front-to-rear combined braking (CBS) and “rear lift-up” detection when in Sport and Wet Riding Modes.

Remaining almost undetectable at the lever, these advanced features enable shorter braking distances by optimising brake force distribution for superior vehicle stability. The advanced ABS/CBS, which is optional on the 1199 Panigale and 1199 Panigale S and standard equipment on the 1199 Panigale S Tricolore, can also be deactivated via the instrumentation control panel.

New wheel and tyre designs

The 1199 Panigale rolls on brand new 10-spoke wheels in 3.5in front rim width and 6.00in rear. Enabling an even faster change of direction and enhanced acceleration and braking performances, the new blackfinished wheels provide a 0.5kg (1.1lb) weight-saving over previous components.

The 1199 Panigale S and 1199 Panigale S Tricolore are equipped with stylishly designed, triple 3-spoke, forged and machined wheels by Marchesini. Finished in black with signature red pin-striping, the super lightweight wheels represent a 0.4kg (0.88lb) weight-saving over previous components.

All 1199 Panigale versions roll on the new Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa SP tyres, road-going race replicas of the official World Superstock 1000 tyres. While the front uses a 120/70 ZR17, the 200/55 x ZR17 represents the widest rear tyre ever fitted to a production Ducati Superbike.

Designed for precise line-holding and corner trajectory, the rear 200/55 x ZR17 effectively increases the contact patch area and speed of lean by combining the 200mm width with a higher profile. Pirelli and Ducati engineers worked together to create this ideal “match” between front and rear profiles and the results generate incredible “feel” and directional agility from the new monocoque chassis technology during cornerentry.

The structures and compounds are derived directly from Pirelli’s experience in World Superbike competition.

They present a complex carcass designed for stiffness under heavy braking and shoulder areas that maximise contact patch, further enhanced with a bi-compound tread laced with new polymers to generate rapid warm-up and constant grip.