[Rod]

Thanks to someone who cut and pasted my post from this thread (which was a reply I received to a PM sent to someone on the Ducati MS forum) the original Italian author informs on that thread that "carter" means the engine base (sump). The sump is no longer the coppa bassa design (deep sump) found on the current 999 engine, so we appear to be returning to something resembling the older style crankcases, albeit as part of a completely redesigned engine.

Also gleaned the following info. Production of the 1098 is apparently already underway at the Bologna factory and Ducati will be fielding the current 999 (F07) in next years WSB championship. The new replacement for the 999R will be the only true 1200cc engine (1200R) and will not be available to the public until Spring 2008 in line with homologation rules for the new 1200cc WSB machine 1200 (F08). More than that we don't know.