Luxury car and motorcycle brands already objectively produce some of the most elite rides on the planet, though for customers looking for an even more exclusive vehicle, many of the most prestigious marques offer bespoke factory customization services, such as Q by Aston Martin and MV Agusta’s Reparto Veicoli Speciali Department. And for the first time in the company’s history, Ducati has introduced a factory customs division, giving the most discerning of Ducatistas a wide range of bespoke options for personalization.
Carried out by the world-renowned Centro Stile Ducati (i.e. Ducati’s Style Center), the Unica program — which translates to “unique” from Italian — gives customers the option of bestowing their machines with a variety of precious materials, special livery options, and ultra-premium finishes. The program can also accommodate special, one-of-a-kind requests. And, in addition to designing each Ducati in collaboration with the Centro Stile Ducati, buyers will also have the ability to inspect the progress from each build in person at the factory, though each transformation will be extensively documented regardless. Because each Unica-built machine is designed and executed with such exacting levels of detail, the program is only able to accept four commissions each year. What’s more, rather than offering the service on a first-come, first-served basis, Ducati is instead extending the Unica division’s handiwork exclusively to customers that it deems align with the “values of the brand and with the stylistic standards associated to it.”
To kick off the program, Ducati has unveiled what’s been christened the “V4J,” a fully bespoke Superleggera V4 that’s been treated to a deep blue livery, a custom seat, and a host of other minor tweaks in order to match the owner’s one-off Lamborghini Aventador SVJ. Unveiled at a special presentation at Ducati Newport Beach, the V4J is based on the last of the 500 Superleggera units built — a $100,000, 234-hp limited-edition superbike with a carbon fiber frame, wheels, bodywork, and winglets. Its moniker is also a nod to the SVJ-spec Lamborghini that inspired it, with the “J” standing for “Jota.”
Offered on the Bologna brand’s regular motorcycle range as well as the firm’s Scrambler lineup, the Ducati Unica Customization Program will be available to clients in North America starting in 2023. Offered directly through Ducati’s dealership network, each one-off Duck will also be sold with a “certificate of uniqueness.”
