As it turns out, the Battista hypercar is only a taste of what’s to come from Automobili Pininfarina. In a recent press briefing ahead of the Los Angeles Auto Show, Pininfarina presented a scale model of the Pura Vision Concept car, a vehicle of which the company calls an all-electric S-LUV or sport-luxury utility vehicle.
This was confirmed by company CEO Michael Perschke, Chief Design Officer Luca Borgogno, and Chief Sales Officer Jochen Rudat at the said event. “Visionary Italian design is the past and the future and as we head towards celebrating Pininfarina’s 90th anniversary in 2020,” said Perschke. “We are inventing new markets and new client experiences, and we want to underscore our commitment to Italy through the production of pure-electric vehicles there.”
The Pura Vision Concept S-LUV is not an SUV
For all intents and purposes, the Pura Vision Concept has the proportions of an SUV. Measuring 197-inches long, 79-inches high, and around 63-inches wide, the concept is aimed as a performance EV with the practicality of an SUV, but it’s not exactly intended to go off-roading hence the S-LUV nomenclature. It’s akin to a Bentley Bentayga or Lamborghini Urus but with an all-electric powertrain.
It’s a people carrier, alright, albeit a luxurious and fast one. According to Pininfarina, the vehicle will have a 2+2+1 seating configuration with a single seat for the third row. The interior benefits from swathes of full wood grain panels or carbon fiber.
Pininfarina is not just about style
Following the development of Tesla’s Plaid Model S in the Nurburgring with a tri-motor setup (the recently unveiled Tesla Cybertruck is also offered with a tri-motor powertrain), the Pura Vision Concept will also come with three electric motors producing 650 to 1,000 horsepower.
Powering the motors is a revolutionary 125 kWh battery pack with a slim form factor. And with two motors in the front and one in the back, we’re expecting the Pura Vision Concept to scamper like a frightened cat with a prod of the accelerator pedal.
“Our strategic collaboration with Bosch and Benteler unlocks the opportunity for growth, through the development of high-performance EV architecture to be deployed by Automobili Pininfarina and potentially other OEM clients,” added Perschke. “The launch of Battista heralded the arrival of our exciting new brand, and these are the plans that give us a strong platform for future success.”
And it all begins with the Pininfarina Battista
If you haven’t heard of the Pininfarina Battista, we previously stated its an electric hypercar to end all hypercars. With four electric motors and a 120 kWh battery pack, the Battista is capable of accelerating faster than a Formula 1 race car. It races to 60 mph in less than two seconds and has a top speed of 217 mph.
Best of all, you don’t need to find an empty road to appreciate the Battista. Park the car, step out, look at it, and allow the Battista’s PURA design philosophy to literally blow your mind away.
The Battista is a fast car, but unlike other fast cars, the Battista is devoid of gaudy outtakes, fins, or air intakes. At the moment, wind tunnel testing and dynamic simulations for the Battista are almost complete. In fact, pre-production prototypes will undergo winter testing in the months to follow.
Along with the plan of expanding its EV portfolio, Pininfarina is pondering on acquiring a new production facility in Italy by early 2020. This ensures every Battista is exquisitely handcrafted in Italy to commemorate the brand’s 90th anniversary next year along with plans to release three new EVs following the Battista and Pura Vision Concept car.
The Pininfarina Hyperdrive project gets you behind the wheel
If you’re one of the lucky few who placed advanced reservations for the new Battista hypercar, you’re entitled to experience the Pininfarina Hyperdrive project in Calafat, Spain. Created in collaboration with Mahindra Racing, the Hyperdrive Project gives clients the opportunity to drive the latest EVs, highlighted by some seat time in a full-blown Formula E racing car.
“The Automobili Pininfarina Hyperdrive experience provides a new benchmark of performance for hypercar buyers, but it also recognizes the need to introduce new and different test drive experiences that allow guests to better understand the technology of the future,” said Chief Sales Officer Jochen Rudat.
You can expect the Pininfarina Pura Vision Concept to make its official debut in North America by 2020.