The prestigious motorcycle brand Ducati launched in February 2023 its latest model, the Diavel V4. Stylish, fast and original, the new model has all the makings of a modern high-flying motorcycle. For the occasion, Luxus+ was able to speak with the Italian brand’s design director, Andrea Ferraresi.
Andrea Ferraresi, you are the design director of Ducati. How would you describe the design of the Diavel V4?
First of all, it’s both a Ducati and a Diavel, and that’s completely new. It’s important to remember that it’s a Ducati, because each model has a specific DNA. We have our golden rules. Each Ducati must be real, authentic, with its own design. It must be sensual, sexy and sporty. But above all, it must be recognizable. Even from a distance or painted green, you have to recognize it as a Ducati.
But this model is also the third generation of Diavel. A Diavel is a mix of three different bikes: a sport bike, a naked bike and a cruiser. It has the typical front wheel mass of a sport bike. It also has the silhouette of a naked motorcycle, without a fairing, and has that thin tail attached to the tank. Like the cruiser, it adopts the rider’s riding position with the feet forward. The rear wheel position is a bit more pronounced, and the tank has that typical cruiser drop shape. The Diavel thus takes a design feature from each of these three categories of motorcycles.
How has this new model evolved from the previous one?
When we designed it, we decided to keep the identity of the Diavel while trying to renew it. When the first generation Diavel came on the market, it was a huge surprise because this mix of three different bikes had never been done or seen. This time we wanted to keep the same concept but change all the parts of the bike. The goal was to surprise again in every way. It’s especially the details of the bike that are amazing, whether it’s the exhaust, the headlight… The air box suggests that the engine is powerful and needs air to breathe. Personally, I particularly like the rear light. Invisible under the seat, it doesn’t exist when the bike is off. But when you turn it on, it’s magical. A sort of LED matrix lights up and it suddenly appears in a C shape, a Ducati signature.
Can you explain how this V4 engine meets the rider’s and customer’s demands?
The engine used for the Diavel is the V4 Granturismo, so it’s not exactly the same as on the Ducati Panigale or the Ducati Multistrada. It’s very pleasant at low and high revs, with lots of power. We thought it was the right engine for this type of bike and for this type of customer: people who enjoy riding slowly but also quickly. If you want to have fun, you can just open the throttle and go very fast in the corners. Plus, the bike and this engine are perfectly suited to any type of road.
What key elements have been taken into account to ensure rider safety?
Ducati has been very active in the field of rider safety for many years. We were the first on the market to have ABS (Anti-lock Braking System) on all our models, even though it was not mandatory. Ducati takes care of the rider’s safety with electronic controls, such as traction control, wheel control, slip control…We have developed these kinds of controls in the Racing Department to go faster on the track and have adapted them to keep the rider safe. I think Ducati is really at the top of the technology in this area.
How do you integrate rider comfort?
Thanks to Ducati’s experience with racing motorcycles, we have used wind tunnel aerodynamic studies and computer simulations to increase rider and passenger comfort. We applied the aerodynamics not only to the Panigale, which is a racing bike, but also to the Diavel and the Multistrada. We then checked what happened to the hot air flows coming out of the radiator and prevented them from going onto the rider. Another solution is to collect the cool air from the front of the bike with tubes and blow it to cool the rider, his legs… We also used air flow studies on the helmet to avoid generating too much noise and shocks for the rider and the passenger.
What inspired you to create the design of the Diavel V4?
Basically, we based this Diavel on the previous one because we are convinced that Diavel is already a signature of the brand. The V4 engine is so strong that it would have been a shame to change it too much. We decided to change some details and parts to return to the shocking shapes of the first generation of the bike. That’s why we decided to continue with the special four-pipe exhaust and, for example, to return to the folding passenger footrests that we lost in the second generation. The goal was to surprise the customer again. When people go to the dealer and look at the bike, we want them to experience it piece by piece. It’s kind of like a game when you go around and discover something different, something unexpected every time.
How did you work with the engineers to design this new model?
We have been working with the engineers from the R&D department since the beginning of the design process. It is essential to work with them because they help us to determine the proportions of the bike, in order to get a good final design result. If the proportions are not right, there is no way to make a beautiful bike. A good design is made of good proportions, beautiful shapes and wonderful details. Just like a house, if the proportions are not right, there is no way to get a good result. The proportions are obtained after the design of the mechanical assembly, i.e. the base of the wheels and seat, the position of the engine inside the bike, etc. Then the engineers decide on the placement of the bike’s parts, and finally, we intervene. That’s why we work closely together in this initial phase.
Has this strong connection with the engineers helped to maintain the identity of the Diavel?
Yes, to tell the truth, we have a very good relationship with the engineers, it is not a problem. Sometimes there is friction between the designers and the engineers, but at Ducati we are all super passionate bikers. It happens quite often that the designers give very good suggestions to the engineers and vice versa. They force us to improve and make better models. It’s very important to work in a smooth and efficient way to have a good starting point.
Does the design of the Diavel V4 reflect current trends in motorcycle design, or is it a departure from them?
I think it’s both. It reflects the current status of the motorcycle industry because of the technology, controls, safety system and handling of this two-wheeler. But when you look at the bike, you realize it’s different. This is the third generation of the Diavel, so it’s something unexpected. When you see it for the first time, you realize that it is a strange animal and you recognize that it is a mixture of different bikes.
After the Diavel V4, what will be the next project?
Of course, like any company, we continue to renew our model range. In the future we will work on the new generation of the Panigale and the Multistrada. In fact, we are working on the renewal of the existing model range, but also on something completely new. Of course, I can’t say what, but we will have news in the near future. We continue to invest in new products. We want to focus on continuous product improvement and offer a wider range of bikes to our customers. We are satisfied with the current one, but we think there is room to win over other customers with models we don’t have yet.
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