Skip to main content

Ducati Panigale 1199 S is the next Senna tribute bike, you can’t have one

Ducati is the master of making “limited edition” bikes that are usually slightly tarted up versions of their regular bikes with the edition number stuck on the triple clamp  (the 900FE comes to mind) but few grab attention like the “Senna” bikes and now a new round of machines dedicated to the late F1 race car driver are about to go on sale.

If you’re wondering about the Ducati motorcycle/Senna race car driver coupling, here’s the back story: storied Formula One driver Ayrton Senna died in an unfortunate single-car race crash in 1994, after complaining to officials that the Imola race course, that would soon take his life, was unsafe. But he elected to drive anyway, despite misgivings. After his passing, a massive outpouring of grief followed in Brazil, where Senna held demigod status. Brazilians still generally considered Senna somewhat of a saint, for both for his racing fame and the good works he spearheaded for the country’s underprivileged.

Recommended Videos

While Senna never raced motorcycles, he was certainly a fan of two-wheelers. He owned both an original series 900 Monster and an ultra-rare 851 Superbike, according to the Ducati Brazil website. While he was in Italy, just weeks before his death, he commissioned a Ducati with a special paint scheme from the Italian motorcycle icon. A few weeks later, fate came calling. As a tribute, the “Senna” series of Ducatis were born, all wearing the special paint colors Ayrton had specified. First up for the Senna treatment was the iconic 916. Eventually, there were three Senna 916 issues, all of which are sought after today.

Now Ducati has announced its latest high-speed masterwork, the 1199 Panigale S, will get the Senna treatment, which consists of a monotone grey paint scheme, red wheels, and likely some weight-saving measures to set it apart from regular versions of the Panigale S. Only 161 Senna bikes will be built and all of them are headed to Brazil, where they won’t be cheap. Let us know if you wrangle one.

The S version of Ducati’s Panigale drool-worthy sports machine puts out 195 horsepower and almost 100 foot-pounds of torque from its L-Twin Desmo engine, all in a package that weighs in at a few ticks over 400 pounds full up with fluids. Do the math on acceleration (it’ll embarrass cars that cost 20 times as much).

It packs a ton of technology between the wheels, including rider-variable traction control, launch control, a slipper clutch, multiple ride modes, a full color TFT LCD instrument panel, all-LED lighting, ABS brakes with multiple settings, advanced fuel injection, electronically adjustable suspension, throttle-by-wire and when fitted with, uh, “less restrictive” pipes, emits a sound that makes most gearheads swoon.

Panigale 1199 S models start at $23,000 and go up from there. The Senna version will be a considerable premium over that but no price has been announced. If you want to learn more about Ayrton Senna, catch the excellent documentary about his life and career (he’s riding a Ducati Monster at 1:14:30). You can watch it for free in its entirety here on YouTube.

Bill Roberson
Former Video Producer / Photographer
I focus on producing Digital Trends' 'DT Daily' video news program along with photographing items we get in for review. I…
Waymo recalled 1,200 robotaxis following collisions with road barriers
Waymo Jaguar I-Pace

Waymo’s autonomous-car technology has made great advances over the years to the point where it’s now allowed to offer paid robotaxi rides in select locations in the U.S.

But the development of the technology is ongoing, and the robotaxi rides continue to gather valuable data for Waymo engineers to pore over as they further refine the driverless system to make it as reliable and efficient as possible. Which is why glitches will sometimes occur.

Read more
Apple CarPlay Ultra looks stunning in Aston Martin supercar debut
Apple CarPlay Ultra

Apple CarPlay Ultra is the next generation of the Cupertino, California-based firm's smartphone projection system for your car, and it's available in new vehicles in the US and Canada.

When we say "new cars", your options are very much limited to one brand... Aston Martin. So you'll need deep pockets if you want to experience CarPlay Ultra for yourself.

Read more
Archer’s flying taxis head to LA for the 2028 Olympics
archer air taxi la28 inglewood aerial a final

Remember the buzz about flying taxis zipping through Paris for the 2024 Olympics? That sci-fi fantasy never got off the ground —Germany’s Volocopter dream was denied certification, leaving fans staring at the same old ground traffic. But now, the skies are opening again for a second shot at glory—this time over Los Angeles.
Archer Aviation, the California-based electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) company, has been named the exclusive air taxi provider for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Archer’s Midnight aircraft, a piloted electric air taxi designed to carry four passengers, will be whisking around VIPs, fans, and stakeholders between venues and key locations like LAX, Hollywood, Santa Monica, and even Orange County. Think 10-20 minute flights that skip the infamous LA gridlock and land you right where the action is—on the roof, basically.
“We want to transform the way people get around Los Angeles and leave a legacy that shapes the future of transportation in America. There’s no better time to do that than during the LA28 Games,” said Adam Goldstein, CEO and founder of Archer Aviation.
And Midnight isn’t just a pretty rotor. It’s a whisper-quiet, emission-light aircraft with 12 rotors and a redundant, airline-level safety design.
What’s more, Archer and LA28 are working together to electrify vertiport hubs around the city—think futuristic sky stations—to serve not only Games-time needs but also to plant seeds for a post-Olympic air mobility network.
The air mobility market has been fast developing over the past few years, featuring the likes of Hyundai partnership with China’s XPeng HT Aero and Toyota's backing of Joby Aviation, a U.S. venture. Joby bought Uber Elevate in 2020, hoping to someday pair its air taxis with Uber’s ride-hailing app.
Archer, for its part, has been busy building a strategic partnership with United Airlines, which has already placed orders for the aircraft and is helping with logistics to integrate air taxis into airport-to-downtown travel. More than a demo for the cameras, the LA28 partnership will showcase urban air travel for real-world daily use, starting with one of the most high-profile events on Earth.
After raising false hopes in Paris, the air taxi dream is aiming for liftoff in LA—and this time, it might just stick the landing.

Read more