First Look: Ducati 848 EVO

When those new 675cc MV Agusta triples finally appear on the market, Ducati will be ready to fight them off with this new, stronger version of its own middleweight superbike, dubbed the 848 EVO. This evolutionary update pulls an additional 6 horsepower from the Testastretta engine, bumping peak output to 140 bhp and 72.3 lb.-ft. of torque. Revised intake porting, larger 60mm elliptical throttle bodies, a new piston crown and revised combustion chamber shape that together increase compression to 13.2:1, plus higher-lift, longer-duration cams all contribute to this increase. The steel-trellis frame, complete with single-sided aluminum swingarm, is unchanged, though the brakes are upgraded to Brembo Monoblocs for unparalleled stopping force. Two colors will be offered-Ducati red, of course, alongside a black-on-black Dark Stealth option.