Crighton CR700W – rotary madness

Motoring

A non-bike person’s perspective of this insanely brilliant engineering.

Norton, Suzuki, Yamaha, Kawasaki and I’m probably missing some, but those brands used rotary engines at some point in their motorcycles. Nowadays I can’t stop hearing the name Crighton, which doesn’t ring a bell, as I’m a person who’s barely familiar with the existence of motorcycles. So I wondered, what makes this Crighton so special. Well . . after having a long look at all the details, I’m impressed enough to actually write a few words about it. Purely from my perspective.

The man behind the company, Brian Crighton was the person behind Norton’s rotary glory days. He was the first to realise Norton’s 588cc rotary’s potential and after tweaking it a bit to up the power, he singlehandedly convinced the R&D department that it’s worth racing a rotary bike by going to the MIRA test track with it and recording 170 mph top speed. Brian had a good point, because the bike won a race only on its second ever outing.

His predictions came true, because he was promoted to a Senior Engineer and his rotary racing bike won both the 750cc Supercup Championship and the British F1 title in 1989. The success brought a sudden change in the high-ranking positions at Norton, but the Crighton’s rotary madness continued into the 90s with a dominant and commanding 1993 season championship. Fast forward to nowadays and Brian has been hard at work behind closed doors for the past years, quietly developing a monster.

What Crighton saw in the rotary back then was the ultimate realisation of the perfect motorcycle engine. If done properly, the small rotary can provide a lot of power and deliver it in a very linear fashion. All of that from a small and lightweight engine block. It was the perfect track weapon! And today Brian Crighton is able to fully deliver his vision of that racing motorcycle, bearing his own name.

For my untrained eye, the Crighton CR700W looks quite ordinary – nothing out of order, the way most bikes looks. But beneath the skin lays a hidden dragon, waiting to be unleashed. At a mere 690cc, the twin-rotor engine produces 220 hp! That calculates to the impressive 319 hp per litre – well within MotoGP territory! What’s even more impressive though is the weight of the engine at a featherweight 24 kg and coupled with its bespoke gearbox, only 46 kg.

Adding to the stunning numbers is the dry weight – just 129.5 kg which combined with 220 hp means more than one horsepower per kilogram. For the sake of comparison, a Ducati Superleggera V4 weighs 152 kg, so not so Superleggera by Crighton’s standards. Of course, the engine is not the only culprit for the lean measurements. The chassis is made of 7000 series aluminium alloy, the wheels are made of carbon fibre, the exhaust is made out of titanium and the cooling pump is both fully integrated, and shaft-driven.

Being rotary-driven means it’s expected to be a bit more fuel-hungry, but then what is fuel-hungry on a bike? It’s not like a two tonne car . . I mean how much more fuel can it use? No, I’m seriously asking, because I’m not a bike person, remember?! Big deal, a little bit more petrol – who cares when you can theoretically outrun pretty much everything on the road.

But the motorcycle itself is not the only mouth-watering thing out there. The prices starts from £85,000 and then there’s the exclusivity. Only 25 motorbikes would be hand-built with the personal involvement of Brian Crighton and his 40+ years of racing bike expertise. Even I, as a non-bike person can appreciate that. What about you?

T​he Top 5 Best Engines of All Time (​In my opinion, of course)

Motoring

An engine is – as we know – a pretty important part of any car. It does in fact make it… move, which is very useful for transport.

But sometimes, car manufacturers strike gold, and create an engine that is more than just some pistons moving up and down – they create incredbile motors that will stay in the hearts and minds of petrolheads for years to come. And here is my personal Top 5 List of the engines that have done exactly that to me:

5​. 6.2L V8 HEMI – Dodge Challenge SRT Demon

C​oming in at number 5 is the beast found under the hood of the 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon. The first thing you need to know about this power plant is that it produces 808 horsepower – an insane number for a pushrod engine to be putting out. The next thing you need to know is that it has a 3.7L supercharger bolted to it – which is by technicality larger than the entire V8 in my dad’s Ferrari 360. So, as you can probably imagine, that thing screams. A lot. This engine is also responsible, when fed the right fuel, for a faster drag time than (as proven by Top Gear) a Lamborghini Aventador – maxing out at 840 horsepower and powering the Demon down the 1/4 mile in around 9 seconds. That makes it one of the fastest factory drag cars of all time – and it’s all thanks to, essentially, an engine from a 70s Charger.

4​. 1.3L Wankel Rotary – Mazda RX-7

I​’m pretty sure that 99% of you knew this was coming when you clicked on this article – but it’s impossible to ignore. The Wankel Rotary engine is probably one of the most famous engines of all time – the way it screams, and how high it revs, and the way it delivers the power simply cannot be rivalled. My personal favourite edition of Mazda’s masterpiece comes from the RX-7 – where the lump came kitted out with twin turbos, in order to produce around 276 horsepower. This made it an instant icon in the world of sports and drift cars, alongside Toyota’s 1/2JZs. This is also probably the engine people miss the most – people beg Mazda day in and day out for a new rotary-powered sports car, but the sad fact is that the rotary is too problematic – and thirsty – to be used again anytime soon. However, rumours have circulated, and people haven’t yet given up hope – so… maybe one day.

3​. 4.8L V10 – Lexus LFA

A​h, the Lexus LFA. Possibly one of the best supercars ever made. It’s the best to look at, the best to drive – and most importantly, the best to listen to. The engine almost sounds… alive, like a being of it’s own that wants to be like nothing else the world has ever seen. The 78-degree V10 is one of the weirdest and yet best sounding engines ever fitted to a car, and it’s no slouch either. Driving an LFA, you will have – at your disposal – a staggering 553 horsepower, all rampaging through the rear wheels alongisde a wail of V10 fury from the triple exhausts. In a strange way, I consider the V10 from the LFA to be almost like another 2JZ – it’s iconic, geeky in that brilliant Japanese way, and has enough power to keep pace with the supercars of the period. That is the 2JZ recipe, and it’s been here, all this time – we just haven’t been looking hard enough.

2​. 5.2L V12 – Lamborghini Countach 5000QV

A​nd here we are at number 2 – the blast from the past. The mystical V12 from the Lamborghini Countach – quite possibly my favourite car of all time. The model of engine in question is the 5.2L version from the Countach 5000QV – one of the later models, which is once again my personal favourite. What makes this edition of the beloved Lambo V12 especially good is that it produces a massive 448 horsepower – the stuff of spaceships in the 80s. It also comes with the added benefit of sounding incredible – if my memory serves me correctly, I believe Richard Hammond said, on Season 3 of The Grand Tour, driving that very model of Countach: “There’s no better noise… an angry Countach.” And what more confirmation do you need? So, to summarise, we have a fantastic engine, fitted to a beautiful car, which put all of it’s rivals to shame in it’s day.

1​. 3.0L V6 – Alfa Romeo GTV6

H​ere it is – the messiah; the overlord; the king of the hill. The greatest engine ever made. And of course, it comes from the heavenly land known only as Alfa Romeo. The Alfa V6 is an engine that has appeared in most Alfas from the mid-70s to the modern day. But by far the best example is from the GTV6 – their fast coupe from the late 80s. It’s a real beauty this – amazing to listen to, inside or outside of the car, and one of the best to drive with, thanks to the very smooth power delivery. It produces around 160 horsepower (in the GTV6 at least) which is enough to keep up with the smaller breed of hot hatches today. But I don’t think that’s what this engine is about – it’s, by technicality, a piece of art. It has no purpose other than itself. The sole meaning of everything an Alfa Romeo can be, whilst being simply an engine. And that’s the magic of it – it means so much, whilst being so little.

T​here you have it – my pick on the Top 5 Best Engines of All Time. For a little bit of a guessing game, I’ll add in the pictures of my three other choices, and you can all try and guess which car they came from in the comments below. Sound fair? Good. Happy guessing!

When A Mercedes Hit 271 Miles Per Hour in The 1930s

Motoring

When you think of cars that can go over 271 miles per hour, only a handful come to your mind.

Obviously, the Bugatti Chiron is on the top of your list with the Hennessy Venom GT joining the French car as well, and the Koenigsegg Agera RS, Jesko, and One : 1 follow in suit. You look down at your list and notice that only five cars have been named, you might be surprised about that because of how far technology and cars have evolved over the decades you would expect more to be on the list, but maybe not much has really changed? The 1930s was an era filled with tests and trials in every aspect, the automobile was still a relatively new invention in the world, and was still considered as a toy for the rich. Cars had around 80bhp, a flexible and thin body that would deal with those horrendous dirt roads, elongated and exaggerated lines, and they were usually fitted with a supercharger and were pulled around on thin tires. What an era to be alive in…. not really. Although the car industry in the 1930s wasn’t as bad as you expected it to be, nonetheless, without those cars and all those failures and all those innovations, we wouldn’t have the companies and cars we love today.

100 horsepower in the 1930s was absolutely bewildering, you were called crazy if you were able to handle and thrash those stripped-down, dangerous cars around a track, only some of the most ballsy and insane drivers were up to that task. And luckily those drivers created records and drove legendary drivers we remember to this day. Going 95mph and sliding sideways in a Bugatti Type 35 knocked your socks off, now imagine going 271 miles per hour in a car like that. You read that right, 271 miles per hour in the 1930s. Only five hypercars can go over 270 miles per hour, let alone a car from the 1930s. Once wheels and an engine were attached to a carriage, humans have wanted to go faster and faster and have itched endlessly for more speed and power. And in a decade where new innovations and ideas were being tested, it wasn’t a surprise that no other than Mercedes wanted to achieve the unachievable.

Manfred von Brauchitsch and Rudy Caracciola at the 1937 Monaco GP, held that year on 8 August both the W154 and the W125 were going around the Loews Hairpin. (unattributed)

We cant mention these cars without mentioning the dark history behind them, that they were directly funded by the German government, which was ruled by Hitler and the Nazi party. The Nazi party and Hitler were a big part of propaganda in Germany and machine propaganda. Meaning they would try to create some of the fastest cars and race in the world, like the Auto Union Grand Prix cars because they wanted to seem superior. The achievements of Mercedes and Auto Union were increbible in the 1930s, but it will forever be overshadowed by the evil and vile significance behind those cars. The land speed record was really just to promote their new public road, the Autobahn, and those cars were not made quick just to break a speed record, but to make Nazi Germany look superior to others.

The German manufacture at the time was soaring to all different heights and achievements in motorsport, the W25 and W125 could not stop takes wins throughout Grand Prix events, and that was just the start of the surprises. Mercedes dominated in the 30s, 50s, and still do the same today in Formula 1, but that legacy and domination we all are familiar with started in the pre-war era. We always hear about how Ferrari changed the entire game for racing and how without the Porsche 911 we wouldn’t have been the same, or how Bugatti has always broken and set records since the 20s all the way to today. But we don’t really talk about how much Mercedes has truly flipped the automotive world on its back and upright again, including this very significant event in 1939. For the 1938 Grand Prix season, the Association Internationale des Automobile Clubs Reconnus announced another rule change that decreased and limited the displacement size of supercharged engines to 3.0L and naturally aspirated engines to 4.5L, all manufacturers were getting ready to adjust their engines just in time for the season, except for one company, Mercedes. Instead of modifying and evolving their already existing W125 race car with its supercharged 5.6L straight-eight engine, Mercedes-Benz felt like building an entirely new race car for the 1938 season.

The designed Rudolf Uhlenhaut, Max Sailer, and Max Wagner designed Mercedes W154 was a front-engined race car solely made for Grand Prix racing, its chassis and body was relatively the same as its predecessor but instead of the “mere” 5.6 liter Straight-8 supercharged, the long hooded W154 had a brand new V12 engine called the M154. Mercedes strayed away from the inline configuration and plopped in a beastly 12-cylinder engine that was heavily inspired by the 5.5L DAB V-12 engine that was meant for the W125, but was never used during the 1936 season. Remember this V12 engine, because it plays a massive role in a certain top speed record.

Later on, Mercedes built and designed the most streamlined car you might ever see, it was a streamlined version of the W125. The designed by hand and pencil Mercedes had an elongated and pinched in rear end, the tail would come to a point for the finest aerodynamics and airflow. The front end was rounded out and the entire body looked like the bar of soap you have in your bathroom. All the lines flowed together in unison, there was nothing on this car that created drag, the wheelhouses were made practically invisible with the extensive fairings and skirts that covered the suspension, and cockpit sides, this car cut through the air like a bullet, and it definitely went like one as well.

To create such a crazy car they needed a “crazy driver” willing to drive it. Rudolf Caracciola was a German racing driver who still stands today as one of the best drivers to have ever existed. Known mostly for taming and winning in 600bhp Auto Unions in treacherous rainy conditions, Caracciola also won the European Drivers’ Championship which is equivalent to the modern Formula One World Championship. Mercedes was looking for the ultimate driver to bring this to this world-breaking record, and Rudolf was the man to do it. The Streamlined W125 left everyone with their jaws open and hairs standing on end as Rudolf Caracciola stepped into the sleek Mercedes and secured a speed record of 268.863 mph. People thought flying pigs was even more realistic than going 268 miles per hour, but when Mercedes put their mind to something, they do it, and they didn’t just stop there… The fairly new German automaker founded in 1926 wanted more, and they lusted after an even higher top speed, they could have just stopped there, but they knew they could accomplish more. And to accomplish the unthinkable, Mercedes-Benz took even more extreme measures.

Chassis number 11 of the 15 W154s built was modified and evolved to become the fastest car in the entire world, they achieved this incredible feat by enclosing the wheels and suspension in the slippery aerodynamic skirts and fairings. Everything, including the side of the cockpit, was enclosed in panels to reduce as much drag as possible and to be able to hit the highest plausible top speed. The engineers and designers stripped down the center and middle of the car, sculpting a shape that was like a cigar. The Fenders were kept in place and the bulbous wheel arches surround the middle of the car that is practically shaped as a Grand Prix race car. The two-cylinder banks of the M154 V12 engine were set at 60 degrees and dominated the front end of the car. The cockpit resembles current Formula 1 cockpits, Rudolf would have to squeeze himself in the compact cockpit, that was designed for the utmost aerodynamics. Every bank consisted of two three-cylinder blocks made of steel, not the lightest metal, but one of the strongest. The front-mounted engine used side-by-side connecting rods and a one-piece crankshaft, as the air was sucked into the engine by a carburetor that was attached to two superchargers at the front of the monstrous V12 motor.

Nothing on this car wasn’t streamlined, the German company did all they could to make it as aerodynamic as they possibly could. It was an uncompromised car, whatever they didn’t need was taken off or wasn’t on the car in the first place, lightness and sleek design was the key to this car’s record-breaking top speed. I know you are getting impatient, and you’re on the edge of your seat waiting to know what happens next, but be patient, there is still much more to this car than just its record. They removed every little thing on this car, you can say they left a steering wheel, a gearbox, an engine, four tires, a chassis, and the body, but all those components that were removed played a massive part in reducing the car’s weight to 2,092 lb (949 kg). And since the runs were short and brief, the radiator was removed as well, and an ice tank was installed above the rear axle to be able to cool the extreme heat coming from the drum brakes. Speaking of the brakes and wheels, to go over 270 miles per hour in supercars today needs specially made tires to do that. When the Bugatti Chiron Super Sport 300+ broke and surpassed the 300mph barrier in 2019 one-off tires had to be specifically made for that day.

Why? Well, when you are going over 300 miles per hour, the tires are not only at immense strain, but they are holding up a 4,044 lbs hypercar that is being pushed into the ground from all the downforce, while also fighting against the heavy air coming towards it. No regular supercar tires would be able to bring the Bugatti Chiron to 300mph, that’s why tires are so important because when you have the right set that can sustain all the pressure it can not only gain you seconds but bring you to speeds that will soil your pants. And you have to realize that was in 2019, we are talking about the 1930s here, and let’s just say tires in the 1930s were far from good… Tires did not grip back then, and they were extremely thin and fragile. Therefore, to go from 0 to 271mph back to 0 on tires from the 30s is maniacal and mental. The question of how was the one-of-one W154 able to pull off those speeds with those tires? Or what tires were used on the W154 that day is a question that isn’t answered.

In February 1939, Rudolf Caracciola stepped into the elongated and streamlined W154, willing to do whatever it takes to bring this car to a speed record that would last for decades. Caracciola was hidden behind the tight cockpit and set off onto the Autobahn with a mixed feeling of anxiousness and adrenaline. The acclaimed Mercedes driver stopped on the throttle pedal and the silver arrow went zooming and rocking across the long stretch of road. Shaped like an arrow and looking like an arrow, you could see the dune-shaped fenders from a mile away. The car shook and rattled, no one knows the emotions Rudolf felt in that car at that moment, to go at such high speeds with a car that has no downforce whatsoever must have felt like your life flashing before your eyes.

And flashing before people’s eyes was a mind-boggling speed of 271 miles per hour. 271 miles per hour in 1939… the significance behind the record is absolutely evil and is associated with some of the vilest regimes in history, but the car itself attained the highest speed on a public highway, that toom 70 years to finally beat.

Citroën reveals new C5 Aircross: absolute comfort in a more assertive and prestigious SUV design

Motoring

• New Citroën C5 Aircross has been redesigned to enhance its presence on the road, with a hi-tech and distinguished new look.
• Updates include a striking new front end, new 18-inch diamond-cut alloy wheels and fresh personalisation options – as well as a distinctive new three-dimensional light signature at the rear.
• New C5 Aircross continues to offer Citroën Advanced Comfort® suspension, features new Citroën Advanced Comfort® seats and boasts driver assistance technologies for a comfortable and serene drive.
• New Citroën C5 Aircross will be available at Citroën UK retailers from Q2 2022.

Citroën has unveiled significant changes to C5 Aircross, including an updated front end design that features a new interpretation of the iconic Citroën logo.

Positioned in the centre of the grille, the updated badging is not the only noticeable feature of the new-look C5 Aircross. The V-shaped LED daytime running light signature gives a hi-tech, stronger-looking 3D effect to the front lights, whilst the upright design of the front grille adds to the robust stance of the vehicle.

With more than 260,000 sales since its launch in 2018, C5 Aircross has certainly made its mark in the highly competitive C-SUV segment, due to its significant amount of on-board space, its modularity and – above all – its unrivalled comfort. Thanks to the model’s Plug-in Hybrid technology, C5 Aircross users can travel up to 34 miles in full-electric mode with zero tailpipe emissions. With the ability to charge at 7.4kW as standard, plugging into a domestic 32A wallbox allows C5 Aircross PHEV to charge fully in under two hours. The brand’s MyCitroën smartphone app makes it easy to schedule charging too, or to precondition the car’s climate control, as well as to check the level of charge, or the charging rate, from wherever you are.

New C5 Aircross has been designed to be aerodynamic, with stylish and functional ‘air curtains’ positioned at either side of the front bumper. Highlighted by a choice of subtle Colour Packs, these stylistic touches help with the upmarket positioning of the car. The main air intake in the centre also becomes more dynamic and elegant, thanks to its sharp lines that echo the style of the central air intakes of New C4 and New C5 X. The glossy aluminium skid plate on the lower part of the front bumper makes the front end look more dynamic and gives it a more purposeful appearance.

New C5 Aircross features a distinctive posture, expressed through its high and horizontal bonnet, as well as the chrome ‘C’ side signature reinforcing the floating effect of the roof. The attributes of a powerful and reassuring SUV also appear at the sides of the vehicle: ground clearance of 230mm, large 720mm-diameter wheels, 360° protection including Airbump® panels and wheel arch extensions, distinctive roof bars and a commanding driving position.

New 18-inch diamond-cut ‘Pulsar’ alloy wheels, as well as gloss black door mirrors, enhance the elegance of the car. Gloss black roof bars with new matt black inserts and new Airbump® colours echo the stylish tones of the front-end inserts.

New C5 Aircross is now available in six body colours: Polar White, Pearlescent White, Perla Nera Black, Platinum Grey, Cumulus Grey, and a new colour called Eclipse Blue. The new colours of the Colour Packs feature on the front air intakes and the Airbump® panels. Four new Colour Packs are available: Glossy Black, Dark Chrome, Anodised Bronze and Anodised Blue.

“C5 Aircross has been recognised since its launch as the most comfortable and flexible SUV in its category, and has now been given a makeover to assert a more prestigious, modern and dynamic personality. While building on its strengths of comfort, on-board spaciousness and modularity, it has matured to become more elegant and dynamic, with sharper exterior styling and more modern high-quality colours, and materials for the interior.”
Pierre-Yves Couineau, New C5 Aircross Project Manager

New C5 Aircross gets a new 10-inch touchscreen in the modern passenger compartment. This new, larger screen improves ergonomics by offering direct-access to climate control functions and is positioned higher on the dashboard. The new 10-inch touchscreen, featuring Citroën’s My Citroën Drive satellite navigation, will be standard equipment in all UK versions.

In addition, the fully customisable 12.3-inch digital driver’s display provides all essential and customisable information directly in the driver’s eye-line: navigation maps, information on active driver-assistance systems, information on the operating status of the hybrid drivetrain – all ensuring that the driver’s eyes stay on the road for completely safe driving.

New C5 Aircross is equipped with the new generation of Citroën Advanced Comfort® seats already present in New C4, and forthcoming with New C5 X models. Composed of high-density foam in the core of the seat, with an extra 15mm layer of foam and a specific structure, Citroën Advanced Comfort® seats offer the very best in terms of passenger and driver comfort. Support is assured for the longer term, thanks to a special type of durable foam that resists sagging over time.

Comfort is emphasised further with the Progressive Hydraulic Cushions® suspension that is exclusive to Citroën, and which allows for the absorption of bumps in the road, keeping passengers in absolute comfort. Meanwhile, drivers and passengers can relax thanks to acoustic laminated front windows, which amplify the cocoon effect within the car.

The seats wear a new structured and contemporary fabric for the entry-level versions, a new soft-touch Alcantara® on selected versions, and there is also a new high-end perforated leather option. The armrests and the central console are trimmed with a new black leather-effect fabric and the dashboard with a new textured black leather-effect insert.

The updated model is available with a choice of four new Advanced Comfort ambiences. New blue stitching decorates the seats, door panels and dashboard on all ambiences in a very coherent and elegant way. The ‘Wild Black’ ambience replaces the previous ‘Wild Grey’ ambience, with a new black textured fabric mixed with a new grey leather-effect fabric and blue stitching. The ‘Urban Black’ ambience combines new black Alcantara® trim and a black leather-effect fabric. The ‘Metropolitan Black’ ambience replaces the ‘Metropolitan Grey’ ambience, with a new black grained leather and new grey leather-effect fabric. Finally, the ‘Hype Black’ ambience has been refreshed, with a subtle blend between the new perforated ‘Paloma’ leather and ‘Blue Nappa’ leather.

The central console has been modernised, with a black leather-effect material and chrome touches that underline the new layout of the controls. There is the new, hi-tech e-Toggle gear selector (on Plug-In Hybrid and EAT8 automatic versions), a new driving mode selection button, a new layout for the optional Grip Control function and, on PHEV versions, an intuitive selector for choosing the desired driving mode (Electric, Hybrid or Sport). The central console also integrates a large storage compartment housing connectivity solutions, with two USB-ports and a wireless charger (dependent on the version).

New C5 Aircross offers a wide range of latest-generation technologies to improve occupant comfort and safety, with a benchmark total of 19 driver-assistance systems, including Highway Driver Assist, which is a Level 2 autonomous driving system, combining Adaptive Cruise Control with a Stop & Go function, and the Active Lane Departure Warning system.

New C5 Aircross is the only SUV in its segment to offer three individually sliding, reclining and folding rear seats, allowing drivers to enjoy MPV-level modularity in an appealing SUV design. The boot volume is benchmark for the segment too: from 580-litres to 720-litre for petrol and Diesel versions, and from 460-litres to 600-litres for Plug-in Hybrid versions.

New Citroën C5 Aircross will be available at Citroën UK retailers during Q2 2022.

SUPPORTING ASSETS AVAILABLE AT:

http://www.citroencommunication-echange.com/
Username (CAPS): C5_AC_ML
Password: #01_2022
Reveal Movie: https://youtu.be/rp_wlQoInoc

TECHNICAL CHARACTERISTICS:
Length: 4,500mm
Width: 1,840mm
Height: 1,670 (with roof bars)
Wheelbase: 2,730 mmGround clearance: 230mm
Wheel size: 720mm

Boot volume (petrol and Diesel engines): 580-litres to 720-litres, and up to 1,630-litres with seats folded down.

Boot volume (PHEV): 460-litres to 600-litres, and up to 1,510-litres with seats folded down.

The passion for Ducati has never been greater. With 59,447 motorcycles sold worldwide, 2021 is the best year ever

Motoring

• Ducati ends 2021 with record sales, growing globally by + 24% over 2020 and + 12% over 2019
• Double-digit growth in all major countries including the United States, which regains the place of top market, and Australia which records + 50% compared to 2020
• The Multistrada V4 is the best-selling and most popular motorcycle for Ducatisti in 2021 with 9,957 motorcycles delivered to customers
• The 2022 range is already enjoying praise from enthusiasts as demonstrated by the highest order portfolio ever at the beginning of the year

Ducati concluded 2021 with a record figure of 59,447 motorcycles delivered to customers all over the world and achieving an increase in sales of + 24% over 2020 (48,042) and + 12% over 2019 (53,183).

Claudio Domenicali, Ducati CEO: “2021 was a magical year for Ducati. We delivered over 59,000 motorcycles, a number never achieved before in 95 years of the company’s history. We also won the title of MotoGP Constructors’ World Champion for the second consecutive year, and we started the electric era of our company with the V21L prototype, which foresees the bike that will race in the MotoE championship from 2023. The pandemic, which is still underway, in addition to generating so much suffering, has also made activities more complex, forcing us to conduct a continuous internal reorganization. Supply chains created delivery delays for which I want to apologize to all Ducatisti, thanking them for their patience. Despite all these difficulties, the desire to excel of our employees here in Borgo Panigale and in our subsidiaries around the world helped us to achieve these record results. We are investing in an extremely ambitious growth path that will lead the company to improve even further, by entering new market segments. With the DesertX we will have from this year on an extremely attractive proposal for adventure fans, and other ambitious projects are currently in development. The core values of the brand – Style, Sophistication, Performance and Trust – are more current than ever. Future growth will take place in compliance with these values, offering our enthusiastic customers products that are increasingly representative with a unique mix of beauty, technology and distinctiveness, such as the best of Made in Italy.”

In 2021 Ducati’s growth came in all the main countries, starting with the United States, which regained the place of leading market for Ducati with 9,007 units which corresponds to an increase of 32% on 2020, followed by Italy with 8,707 bikes (+ 23% on 2020) and by Germany with 6,107 units (+ 11% on 2020). The Chinese market also grew with 4,901 motorcycles (+ 21%), as well as the French one with 4,352 (+ 12%) and the UK one with 2,941 units (+ 30%).

Francesco Milicia, Ducati VP Global Sales and After Sales: “With 59,447 motorcycles delivered to customers, Ducati notches up a historic result and once again underlines its solidity, despite the difficulties encountered across all sectors due to the supplies crisis. Sales grew double-digit in all major countries, from the United States to Australia, where the new subsidiary achieved an increase of 50%. These results are also the outcome of extraordinary work aimed at the continuous improvement of the global sales network both in quantitative terms, with 84 new dealerships, and in qualitative terms, focusing on the digitization of processes and omnichannel to guarantee our Ducatisti an “unforgettable” experience, which fully reflects the company’s values. Now we are starting 2022 with an even more complete range, which is already receiving high praise as demonstrated by the best order portfolio ever at the beginning of the year.”

The enormous success obtained during the year is confirmed for the Multistrada V4, which was by far the biggest-selling and most-loved bike for Ducatisti in 2021 with 9,957 motorcycles delivered to customers. The Ducati Scrambler 800 family followed with 9,059 units and the Monster with 8,734 motorcycles sold.

These results were achieved despite the unpredictable situation generated by the supply crisis that has been on-going for some time. It is still a very volatile situation and is destined to continue further.

For 2022, Ducati presented nine new models to the public during the Ducati World Première web series, helping to create an even more complete range ready to satisfy the desires of every type of motorcyclist. Expectations are particularly high for the DesertX, the Ducati bike designed to tackle the most demanding off-roads with 21″ front and 18″ rear wheels, long suspension travel and ample ground clearance. A motorcycle that takes Ducati into a whole new world, a symbol of how the brand can widen its horizons without losing its roots and its sporting identity, as proven by the Panigale V4 which, in its latest evolutionary step, becomes the closest vehicle to a MotoGP bike that a motorcyclist can ride.

To discover the Ducati 2022 range, a dedicated section is available on the Ducati.com website.