Ducati, Pirelli and SACS Marine unveil the PIRELLI 44 | Ducati Edition maxi-RIB, limited to 26 units
Ducati has taken its design language to the water for the first time with the PIRELLI 44 | Ducati Edition, a maxi-RIB built with Pirelli and SACS Marine and limited to just 26 units for Ducati's centenary.
- 26 units
- 1926
- three 500 hp Mercury Racing engines
- over twenty years
What Happened
To mark its Centenary, Ducati has entered the nautical world with the PIRELLI 44 | Ducati Edition, a special version of a new maxi-RIB developed jointly with Pirelli and SACS Marine. The project builds on a partnership that has linked Pirelli and SACS Marine for over twenty years in the development of the Pirelli Speedboats range, a benchmark in the high-performance maxi-RIB segment. The boat will be produced in a limited run of just 26 units, a symbolic number paying tribute to 1926, the year Ducati was founded, and its livery draws inspiration from the Superleggera V4 Centenario. It is equipped with three 500 hp Mercury Racing engines in an exclusive configuration reserved for this project, combining speed and seakeeping with high standards of safety and onboard comfort. In the coming months the project will be the focus of a series of dedicated initiatives and events designed to share the vision behind its creation.
The 2026 Cannes Yachting Festival, described as Europe's premier in-water boat show, takes place in Cannes.
The PIRELLI 44 | Ducati Edition makes its world premiere at Zuma Cannes during a press conference held as part of the festival, attended by Ducati CEO Claudio Domenicali and SACS Marine Chief Growth Officer Nicola Antonelli.
Ducati announces the project, with the dateline Cannes/Borgo Panigale.
- Tube pattern inspired by the tread of the Pirelli Cinturato Blue Wet tyre
- Pattern sculpted and hand-carved by artisans at Pirelli's R&D Centre using the Diablo Supercorsa SP, the road-legal hypersport tyre fitted to the Superleggera V4 Centenario, as reference
- Aerodynamic appendages on the engines, inspired by the tail sections and extreme aerodynamics of Ducati's MotoGP race bikes
- A sporty double-step hull designed by the Mannerfelt Design Team
- A carbon-fibre hardtop and a black steel pack
- A dashboard and pilot seats upholstered in Alcantara
- A commemorative plaque dedicated to the model
- A customizable number plate, a feature that has always accompanied Ducati's most prestigious creations
“With Pirelli and SACS Marine, we found a natural alignment in the way we interpret design, innovation and, above all, the pursuit of maximum performance: the PIRELLI 44 | Ducati Edition is the most tangible expression of this. The livery inspired by the Superleggera V4 Centenario, the work with the Centro Stile to define the aesthetic language, and our racing DNA all merge into a boat with a strong personality - one that doesn't just bear the Ducati name but truly embodies its character. The unique configuration featuring three 500 hp Mercury Racing engines allows the PIRELLI 44 | Ducati Edition to deliver extraordinary performance, perfectly aligned with our vision of sportiness. I have always loved everything that goes fast, in all its forms, and that is precisely why this project excites me in a very special way.”
“The PIRELLI 44 | Ducati Edition constitutes a new chapter in the journey we have embarked on with SACS Marine and brings to the water a wealth of experience, technology, and passion acquired on the road and the track. Pirelli has always collaborated with Ducati, supplying tyres for every model produced in Borgo Panigale: a partnership that finds a new expression in this special edition, offering a distinctive experience also at sea.”
“The vision that guides us places the boat owner at the centre of our decisions; this is precisely what inspired this project: we aimed to create a boat capable of maximising the sense of involvement and driving pleasure. The PIRELLI 44 | Ducati Edition is able to evoke a sense of excitement even before the engines are started. This project brings together the best of the Pirelli Speedboats spirit with Ducati's distinctive DNA, creating something unique that is destined to make history. I have had the pleasure of working with Ducati in the past, and being able to do so again is deeply rewarding. It is a pleasure to work with a great team, driven by an intense passion and constant pursuit of the best performance and the best results.”
Previously from Ducati Motor Holding S.p.A.
Our earlier coverage reported that Ducati was entering the nautical world for the first time, with a new Pirelli Speedboats vessel created in partnership with Pirelli and SACS Marine. That project was presented as marking Ducati's 100th anniversary, the same milestone this new vessel is built around.
Background drawn from MotorClaw's earlier coverage of Ducati Motor Holding S.p.A.'s official releases.
Why this matters
The boat extends Ducati's identity beyond motorcycles in its centenary year: this is the first time the Borgo Panigale manufacturer's style has been applied on water, and it deepens a tyre partnership with Pirelli that covers every Ducati model built in Borgo Panigale. It also ties Ducati to SACS Marine, whose Pirelli Speedboats range is described as a benchmark in the high-performance maxi-RIB segment. Only 26 units will be built.
Terms in This Story
- maxi-RIB
- A large rigid inflatable boat, which combines a rigid hull with inflatable tubes along the sides.
- livery
- The distinctive colour scheme and graphics applied to a vehicle or vessel.
- Centro Stile
- Italian for 'Style Centre': a manufacturer's in-house design studio.
- Centenary
- The 100th anniversary of an organisation's founding or of an event.
Summarised from the linked release; details can be imperfect — always verify against the original source.