Another sign of the Audi-Ducati relationship has popped up at the motorcycle manufacturer’s headquarters in Bologna, Italy.

Pictured here is an Audi A1 sports hatchback dressed in paint inspired by the Ducati 1199 Panigale S Tricolore. The special color scheme includes the Ducati logo on the hood, Italian red, white and green striping and red alloy wheels.

It’s not clear at this point if this is merely a promotional concept or if there are plans for a special edition version. If Audi does decide to produce a special edition A1 Ducati, we hope they do away with the large hood logo and go with a more understated look. The Panigale is eye-catching already, moreso in the Tricolore colors, but the badging is at least much more subtle than on this A1. Continue Reading »

As we expected, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has announced a recall for the 2012 Ducati 1199 Panigale following a similar recall in Canada. The recall affects all versions of the sportbike, including the base 1199 Panigale, 1199 Panigale S and the 1199 Panigale S Tricolore.

Ducati is recalling the Panigale because a “non-compliant” screw may have been used to attach the rear suspension linkage to the swingarm. According to documents released by NHTSA, the incorrect screw has a different head shape than the proper screw. The correct screw is also shorter in length at 46mm compared to the incorrect component’s 55mm length.

According to Ducati, the non-compliant screw may lead to the separation of the linkage pushrod from the swingarm. As a result, there could be a complete failure in rear suspension, seriously affecting handling and increasing the risk of a  crash. Continue Reading »