Ducati’s newly-unveiled 1199 Panigale Superbike has been awarded the title “Most Beautiful Bike of Show” at the EICMA 69th International Motorcycle Show in Milan, Italy.

Over 13,800 passionate show visitors participated in the voting organised by Italian motorcycle publication, Motociclismo, with the stunning new Ducati 1199 Panigale attracting a massive 53.4% of votes, followed by the MV Agusta F3 with 17% and the Husqvarna Nuda 900R with 3%.

The award was presented during the final day of the show, which  attracted almost half a million people to the vast Fiera di Milano exhibition centre throughout the six day event.  The ceremony took place in the presence of Pierfrancesco Caliari - General Secretary of Confindustria ANCMA/EICMA - Piero Bacchetti - President of Edisport Editoriale - and  Gianandrea Fabbro - Senior Designer from the Ducati Design Centre responsible for the incredible new machine.  The highly coveted “Most Beautiful Bike of Show” title is just reward for Ducati’s constant and innovative product development and coincides with the iconic Italian manufacturer’s announcement that 2011 will close with the best financial results in the company’s history.

Designed and built in Borgo Panigale, Bologna, the award-winning motorcycle combines the most high tech, most powerful twin-cylinder production engine on the planet with an innovative monocoque chassis concept to deliver an astonishing 195hp from 164kg (361.5lb) of futuristic Italian thoroughbred. The highest production motorcycle power-to-weight and torque-to-weight ratios in the world are fitting trophies for the incredible results that Ducati have achieved and now set an extreme benchmark for the category.

With the click of a button, Ducati’s Riding Mode concept delivers performance with enhanced rider confidence by combining seven class-leading technologies. The latest-generation sports ABS system, Ducati Traction Control (DTC), Ducati Electronic Suspension (DES), Ducati Quick-Shift (DQS), Ducati’s new race-derived Engine Brake Control (EBC) and Ride-by-Wire (RbW) are now all programmed into seamless, electronic rider assistance. Even the full colour Thin Film Transistor (TFT) display changes to suit the rider’s environment.

State-of-the-art from the ground-up and melding latest technologies with exciting new family features, the 1199 Panigale is totally “Ducati” in every respect. Its no-compromise approach to sport design and stylish attention to incredibly fine detail presents authentic Italian performance at its purist. Bred for the track and trained for the road, the new Superbike is a true revolution of the species destined to influence the entire sportsbike environment, while further strengthening Ducati’s recent success.

The EICMA show event marked the official introduction of the ground-breaking 1199 Panigale, 1199 Panigale S and flagship 1199 Panigale S Tricolore. The “Tricolore” model proudly wears the red, white and green of the Italian flag, underlining the title “Made in Italy” and coinciding with the celebrations of the country’s 150th anniversary of unification. All three models will be available from early 2012.