Pininfarina shows off 700bhp concept
No chance it will reach production though
In celebration of its 75th anniversary, Pininfarina has developed an "extreme" concept car, the Birdcage 75th. In collaboration with Maserati and Motorola, it sees the car as a futuristic extension of the Maserati brand, serving to reinforce the Tridente’s design heritage. Similarly, integrating some Motorola technologies will make seamless mobility real.
The prototype's name recalls the legendary Birdcage Tipo 63, so-called due to 
the radically triangulated tube construction of its chassis. The original included a four-cylinder 260bhp engine, later replaced by a 3.0-litre V12 developing 320bhp at 8,200rpm. It achieved fourth place at Le Mans and won at Bridgehampton, New York and the Elkhart Lake 500-mile in Wisconsin.
Concept and design
The car based on the road racing chassis of the Maserati MC12 
and seeks to capture the ultimate expression of speed, sensuality and elegance – to create a functional and dynamic automotive sculpture.
Maserati’s 700-plus bhp V12 meant the concept had to be true to certain race car ideals, said Pininfarina. The chassis is delta shaped in plan view, with a teardrop central volume encapsulating the passenger cell and the mechanicals, creating an efficient, streamlined frontal area. The central cell is suspended within a vast inverted wing form which maintains an exceptionally low profile to aid airflow above and below the vehicle.
The upper portion of the cell is transparent, showing off the engine, while the lower portion serving as a structural aerodynamic skirt. Exterior surfaces are kept as low and uncluttered as possible. The 20-inch (front), 22-inch (rear) alloy wheels are attached via a single locking wheelnut. The car stands just a metre tall.
The nose sports a large oval mouth flanked by low horizontal eyes, feeding the central mounted radiator and brake ducts, as well as adding downforce. The lights, developed in partnership with OSRAM Opto Semiconductors, feature the world’s first homologated LED technology headlamps with OSTAR module and are housed in solid blocks of milled aluminium; they double as cooling ducts for the LEDs.
The rear of the vehicle sports a diffuser, complemented by active aero panels on the upper surface, which raise to deliver downforce for stability. When raised, the wings reveal engine bay cooling outlets, which also serve to lower air pressure underneath the wing surface, and thus aid in creating more downforce. The ultra-thin LED tail-lamps feature hot air outlets to aid in engine compartment cooling.
Pininfarina said that cameras positioned on the car allow you to share your driving experience with others, while projecting the images of the infrared cameras on the transparent head up display allow you to enhance your own driving experience at night.
Technical specifications
- Engine: 6.0-litre 65-degree V12 with over 700bhp
- Drivetrain: Longitudinal rear-mounted gearbox with rigid connection to the engine. Mechanical drivetrain with 6 sequential gears.
- Chassis: load-bearing frame in carbon fibre and Nomex honeycomb with front and rear structure in aluminium. Bodywork in carbon fibre.
- Front and rear suspension: articulated quadrilateral with push-rod layout; single-calibrated shock absorbers and co-axial coil springs.
- Brakes: Brembo system with four self-ventilated and drilled discs. Front 380 mm x 34 mm, Rear 335 mm x 32 mm; callipers in light alloy with six front and four rear pistons.
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