Testastretta Revoluzione?
TESTASTRETTA REVOLUZIONE?
ROUNDUP
TALK ABOUT EVOLUTION! Ducati has been honing its present-generation, 90-degree V-Twin for 33 years, dating back to the Pantah 500, its last completely new engine designed by the great Dr. Fabio Taglioni.
Under the guidance of its current General Manager, Dr. Claudio Domenicali, Ducati is in good health but has realized that the time had come for a new engine. The current Testastretta 1200cc (1098R) engine offers little room for growth beyond its existing performance and reliability levels, so an all-new replacement is on the drawing board.
Many of the details appear to be evolutions, but others, such as the proposed internal dimensions, are very daring. As with the Desmosedici, Ducati has solicited support from HPE Technical Consulting (owned by Enzo Ferrari’s son Piero) to develop what promises to be the ultimate Twin.
Details are sketchy at this very early stage, but the new Twin will likely displace slightly in excess of 1 lOOcc. We are fairly certain it will feature plain bearings for both rod and main journals (instead of roller bearings). The final result will be a much stiffer crankshaft, with less axial loading to the crankcase and reduced
mechanical noise.
Where things get radical is the use of an extremely oversquare bore-to-stroke ratio approaching 2: l. To create a displacement of more than 1 lOOcc, the projected bore size would be around 112mm (Chevy big-block territory!) with about 56mm of stroke. Maximum engine speed would theoretically be in the 11,500-rpm range, similar to that of the 2006 749R.
We predict that ultra-efficient, modern chains will replace belts to drive the camshafts in the new engine’s heads. Desmodromic actuation would be reserved for Superbike models, while spring-only versions may be
used for other platforms. The cylinders will be tipped as far backward as possible to approach an upright Vee configuration (sources are tightlipped about the angle) rather than the usual “L.” The combination of a short stroke and a tighter Vee will reduce engine length by around 40mm for better weight distribution within the chassis.
Expect the engine to be produced in both air-/oilcooled and liquid-cooled versions. If our information is correct, you won’t see this engine prior to the 2010 model year.
-Bruno dePrato
