On May 23rd this year, legendary Italian coachbuilder Pininfarina will celebrate its 90th birthday. With the company's first ever production car, the Battista, already honouring the man who founded the Farina dynasty, a little something extra was needed to mark the occasion.
The Battista Anniversario is, as its name suggests, that thing. Described by Pininfarina as "the ultimate expression of its design DNA," the model uses the same 1,900hp, 1,700lb ft all-electric powertrain as the 'standard' car. Having already achieved 80 per cent of its 1.9-second, 217mph performance potential in testing, greater prowess hardly seems necessary.
Instead the five car limited production run will focus on "enhanced dynamic abilities based on an aerodynamic package" as well as a "unique heritage-inspired livery that blends signature Pininfarina styling cues with a new array of design elements." PH travelled to Turin to witness the car's unveiling - amongst other things - and can confirm an audible intake of breath in the room when it was revealed in the carbon for the first time. Multi-million pound hyper EVs may not be everyone's cup of tea, but there's no denying the staggering attention to detail that's gone into the design and finishing of the Anniversario.
As you might expect for such a rare labour of love, each of the five cars will set their owners back a hefty chunk of change more than even the €2 million charged for one of the 150 standard examples. That's highly unlikely to stop them from selling, however, with an undisclosed number already spoken for and the rest expected to follow fairly swiftly.
With powertrain and simulator testing going smoothly, progress on the production of the world's first luxury hyper EV is right on track. Nick Heidfeld, Pininfarina's Development Driver, ought to be getting his hands on the car soon, before the first customers get a taste of the Battista's unparalleled performance for themselves this summer. As for the Anniversario, more details will be forthcoming when the car forms the centrepiece of Pininfarina's stand at next month's Geneva Show. Trust us, it's worth the wait.
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