Lego builds 1:1 scale Ducati Panigale V4 R

Lego and Ducati unveil full-size Ducati Panigale V4 R made of bricks

A few months back, Ducati and Lego collaborated to release a Lego Technic Ducati Panigale V4 R set. The unique set is Ducati’s first Lego-licensed product and only Lego’s second Technic motorcycle. It’s already on sale and should make an excellent gift for Ducati riders that want a brick-ified version of their dream bike.

Of course, Lego wasn’t quite done yet. Last June 19, 2020, Lego and Ducati revealed their 1:1 scale Lego Ducati Panigale V4 R.

The Ducati Panigale V4 R and its Lego twin were presented at a circuit in Modena. Special guest at this event was Andrea Dovizioso, official MotoGP rider of the Ducati Team, and fan of Lego Technic bricks. He was joined by Paolo Lazzarin, General Manager of Lego Italia, and Claudio Domenicali, Ducati CEO. The Lego Panigale V4 R was built by Riccardo Zangelmi, the only Italian Lego Certified Professional builder.

The 1:1 scale Lego Ducati Panigale V4 R isn’t made entirely of Lego. Instead, Lego builders stripped the fairings off the bike and built it with Lego Technic pieces. The rest of the bike is an original Panigale V4 R with a working engine. Of course, to keep the Lego pieces intact, the bike was not run.

Up to 15,000 Technic pieces were used to create the true-to-life curves of the Lego V4 R. It took builders some 400 hours just to assemble it. Even more incredibly, no computer software was used to come up with the design. Nor was any glue used. It was created entirely by the builders, by hand, using Technic pieces you can get from any set. Perhaps the most interesting fact is that it was Zangelmi’s first time to build a 1:1 scale project using Technic pieces.

“Taking part in this project of LEGO Italia and Ducati was the most exciting professional challenge I’d ever faced… I am happy to have captured the DNA that characterizes both LEGO Technic and Ducati, recreating with bricks the motorbike that is symbolic of Italian excellence,” said Zangelmi.

“Almost everyone at some point in their lives has played with LEGO bricks at least once, but seeing up close a replica of the Panigale V4 is something incredible and at a very high level,” said Andrea Dovizioso of the Ducati MotoGP Team.

The 1:1 scale Lego Technic Ducati Panigale V4 R was inspired by the original 42107 Lego Technic Ducati Panigale V4 R set. The model measures 32 cm long, 16 cm high and 8 cm wide and is the first motorcycle model in Lego Technic history to include a gearbox that allows builders to simulate different speeds and driving techniques. It also includes steering and the suspension that give the motorbike its realistic movement, not to mention the front and rear disc brakes. A stand, an exhaust pipe, a windshield and a dashboard are also some of the small details that make this replica model so true to the full-size version. And of course, the classic red color is sure to accelerate the pulse of any Ducati fan. It was designed for fans aged 10+ and is available from Lego.com.