Pura is the Italian word for “Pure” and that is what the design language of this concept brings. Prior to this, Pininfarina unleashed a 1874hp electric hypercar called the Battista. No, it wasn’t named after the WWE Superstar but they both share a similarity of being powerhouses.
Italians take into consideration of every design element that goes into making a car or an SUV. The Pura Vision is a perfect example of that. When was the last we saw whitewall tyres? The Pura wears them and it doesn’t look bad at all. It somehow blends in with the simple, yet futuristic design.
The switch to electric powertrains has seen a sudden leap in the power and torque available to propel cars. Unlike internal combustion engines, electric motors generate power in an entirely different way, with a huge amount of peak torque available from almost standstill.
So impressive new performance numbers are beginning to appear and new records are being set by this new generation of cars. Every month, some company will announce a sub-5-second time and sometimes it is recognised as a world record as well.
Pininfarina’s Battista electric hypercar, the most powerful car designed and built in Italy, has an output of 1,900 ps/2,340 Nm and it has achieved sizzling times for 4 different acceleration runs. They were 0 – 60 mph in 1.79 seconds; 0 – 100 km/h in 1.86 seconds, 0 – 120 mph in 4.49 seconds; and 0 – 200 km/h in 4.79 seconds.
Turkiye (formerly spelt as Turkey) will soon have its first car developed and built by a domestic company as pre-production units have been completed this week at a new factory in Gemlik, 128 kms south of Istanbul. They are products of Togg or Turkiye’nin Otomobili Girisim Grubu (Turkish Automobile Joint Venture Group) which is a consortium of 5 companies for the automotive project.
Togg aims to serve as the backbone of the Turkish mobility ecosystem with 100% Turkish intellectual and industrial property. It is Europe’s youngest electric manufacturer with the aim of producing a million vehicles in 5 different segments by the end of this decade.
Although wind tunnels have been associated with aeronautical research and development, such facilities existed long before the first aircraft flew, and they were used by scientists in the 19th century to study airflow. Aircraft designers then used wind tunnels to see the effects of different shapes that would be used for aircraft bodies and wings.
Wind tunnels were also used by other industries and by the 1930s, as cars started to go at high speeds, the wind tunnel was used to study how air flowed over their bodies. It was a Prof. Dr.-Ing. Wunibald Kamm at the Technische Hochschule Stuttgart in Germany who was the first to use a wind tunnel for aerodynamic design studies which would be pioneering.
From then on, carmakers would add aerodynamic studies to the development process of a new model, using scale models in small wind tunnels and full-sized models in larger tunnels. Various types of equipment measured airflow so that it could be optimised because it was understood that smoother airflow could improve performance and also reduce noise levels. By having a wind tunnel, the engineers could also study the behaviour of the car design (eg stability) at high speeds without actually having to drive the prototype on the track.
In earlier years, carmakers didn’t yet have their own wind tunnels, so they used those in other research facilities. In time, some started to build their own so they could conduct testing with more secrecy and also without having to pay for renting facilities. Some built small tunnels and some built big ones, depending on how much they could spend.
Pininfarina, the automotive design consultancy, also decided to build its own wind tunnel and it was large enough to test full-sized vehicles. At the time it began operations, it was Italy’s first wind tunnel to be built for testing full-sized cars, and one of only seven in the world. That was in the year 1972 and this year sees it celebrating its 50th anniversary.
“Without a doubt, Pininfarina has a real passion for aerodynamics. And it’s a passion that has lasted more than 50 years, long before my father decided to build the structure. It all began with my grandfather Pinin, whose visionary intuition in aerodynamics is exemplified since the Lancia Aprilia Aerodinamica produced in 1936,” said Chairman Paolo Pininfarina, whose father was Sergio Pininfarina.
1937 Lancia Aprilia Aerodinamica
While it was initially used for motor vehicles, Pininfarina’s wind tunnel would become a powerful tool for testing and developing products across all sectors in which the company is fully involved. These include aircraft, high-speed trains, yachts, buildings, wind engineering, industrial design and even sporting goods. With the advent of electric mobility, there is even greater emphasis on aerodynamics as well as aeroacoustic development.
Even yachts can be tested in the wind tunnel which is 4.2 metres high and 9.6 metres wide.
It is one of the few wind tunnels in the world to have a TGS – Turbulence Generator System – able to create various conditions of controlled turbulence associated with gusts of wind, overtaking manoeuvres, cross-winds and vortices generated by cars ahead.
There is also a Ground Effect Simulation System allows reproduction of real vehicle motion conditions. This is achieved by having 4 rollers and 3 mats to allow the wheels of the vehicle and the ground to move at the same wind speed. This system was developed to make the tunnel test conditions as faithful as possible to the road conditions, and to analyze the movement of air underneath.
While most cars have closed cabins, there are also convertibles with open tops as well as the increasingly popular fitment of sunroofs that create an opening on the roof. These all have significant implications on airflow and noise generation, as those who have been in such cars will know. In the wind tunnel, the turbulence generated can be studied and solutions developed to make things more comfortable.
When it first started operation, the wind speed inside the tunnel was less than the 250 km/h maximum of today. It was upgraded with the addition of 13 fans, with each fan able to spin at a different speed or have a different blade pitch. Noise levels were also reduced allowing better aeroacoustic studies with new noise measuring techniques. Aeroacoustic tests are becoming a fundamental element for increasing driving comfort, particularly for hybrid and battery electric vehicles.
The wind tunnel is equipped with three external microphone arrays and also cameras, helping to identify the sources of noise and consequent definition of countermeasures. Noise Vision and Beam Forming support enables visualization to aid analysis. In addition, the wind tunnel is also equipped with 4 acoustic dummies for internal acoustic comfort evaluation.
“The Wind Tunnel has given our company a considerable competitive edge, being the only design company to own one. Born as a tool with which Pininfarina developed its own projects, today it’s a strategic asset for the group, thus expanding the portfolio of services that we offer to the market: an activity that supports other sectors beyond the automotive, from transportation to architecture, from nautical to industrial design,” said CEO Silvio Pietro Angori.
2022 looks like the year of electric hypercars as some manufacturers will either unveil their products or start deliveries. Among them is Automobili Pininfarina which has announced that its Battista hyper GT – Italy’s most powerful production car ever – will start going to customer in early 2022. Final production prototypes have been running with test-drivers completing assessments of various systems.
Nick Heidfeld, ex-Formula One and Formula E driver, is a Test and Development Driver for Automobili Pininfarina who has been working with the engineers for the past 2 years. “From the first time I experienced Battista’s performance in 2019 in an advanced simulator, to today on road and track, I believe the Automobili Pininfarina team has successfully developed a unique hyper GT that is enormous fun, as well as incredibly fast,” he said.
Heidfeld has experienced the Battista on the road and track in Italy in production-intent form, accompanied by its emotive soundscape for the first time. “In this test, I was able to drive Battista with full power available. The effect under acceleration is completely mind-bending – drivers will never bore of the experience, no matter how many times they feel it. This roadcar sprints faster than a Formula 1 car, and in Furiosa mode, I was left with a huge grin on my face every time. Every client that experienced Battista with me was positively overwhelmed by the experience – there is simply nothing like it!” said Heidfeld.
The Furiosa mode mentioned unleashes the full 1,900 ps, which also utilises the full torque available from the 4 independent electric motors. Originally projected to produce 2,300 Nm of torque, the Battista is now developing an increased 2,360 Nm. This comes from two 250 kW motors at the front, and two 450 kW motors at the rear, with 280 Nm of torque for each front motor and 900 Nm at each rear motor. Their combined output makes it possible to go from 0 – 100 km/h in a claimed time of less than 2 seconds and reach a top speed of 350 km/h.
Besides the Furiosa mode, there are 4 others – Pura, Calma, Energica, and Carattere. Control of the driving experience is provided by a beautifully-milled rotary dial, ergonomically situated right next to the driver, allowing for quick changes in driving mode, each one lending a unique character to the Battista’s drive, perfectly adapted to a range of driving conditions.
Calibrated using thousands of kilometres of software simulation before being introduced to development cars, the driving modes allow the driver to fine-tune the driving experience and unlock both the full potential of the advanced torque vectoring system and honed characteristics of the Battista.
The system recuperates and transfers electrical energy without using the brakes – the active energy shifting takes place directly via the 4 electric motors, resulting in a much faster, more precise and efficient shift of torque compared with torque vectoring by braking.
The motors are powered by a powerful 120 kWh lithium-ion battery and, depending on driving style and other conditions, the range is claimed to be up to 500 kms.
“The handling on open roads – even on unpredictable surfaces – proved Battista to be beautifully balanced. Just how a hyper GT should feel. Battista’s performance on track had already surprised and impressed me after I experienced it in Nardo earlier this year, so my expectations on this occasion were set high. This test however confirmed that the team has achieved its target of creating a new type of hyper GT which is rewarding on all surfaces. The ride quality and damping both feel excellent, and the steering feels natural and the perfect fit for what we want to achieve in Battista. I am very sensitive to steering feel as a racing driver, and the sweet spot here is for it to feel light yet connected, and direct yet smooth,” explained Heidfeld.
Paolo Dellacha, Automobili Pininfarina’s Chief Product and Engineering Officer, commended Heidfeld for his input which has helped the engineers to fine-tune the car. “Nick has been a brilliant partner throughout the whole development programme, not only for his driving skills and unique experience in both Formula 1 and Formula E, but also for his ability to evaluate and improve the programme in its various stages of development by delivering the anticipated view of our customers,” he said.
The Battista in production form made its global debut at California’s Monterey Week in August this year. Potential customers had an opportunity to experience the hypercar on the scenic coastal roads and listen to its ‘tailor-made exterior soundscape’. Those who decided they must own one would have to book a unit which will cost from €1.98 million (about RM9.37 million).
Joining the exotic and very expensive supercars and concept cars like the Aston Martin Valkyrie Spider and Audi Skysphere in the Monterey Car Week in California is the first production-spec Pininfarina Battista. Laying claim as the world’s first pure-electric hyper GT, the Battista first road outing on California’s roads marks the beginning of a new chapter in the story of the company (owned by the Mahindra Group since 2015).
Customers in the USA have a first chance to view the car which is finished in Black on exposed signature carbonfibre bodywork. The exposed bodywork and precision polished Impulso forged aluminium alloy wheels are complemented by an exquisitely tailored interior featuring optional Pilota seats finished in sustainable black leather and quilted Iconica Blu Alcantara upholstery, with Iconica Blu contrast stitching, complemented by the Interior Jewellery Pack finished in brushed aluminium anodised in black.
The Battista is claimed to be the most powerful car ever designed and built in Italy, with the promise of delivering a level of performance that is unachievable today in any road-legal sportscar using internal combustion engine technology. It will be quicker than a current Formula 1 car with a claimed 0 – 100 km/h time of less than 2 seconds, and with 1,900 ps/2,300 Nm output from 4 electric motors. Operating with zero emissions, the Battista’s 120 kWh battery pack is expected to provide a range of over 500 kms when fully charged.
The sound of the Battista
The physical presence of the hypercar also allows the Battista to be heard for the first time. It has a unique soundscape tuned to create an emotional reaction for occupants and onlookers. Following Automobili Pininfarina’s ‘Pure Sound’ philosophy, the soundscape has a core frequency of 54 Hz, an organic frequency that is a multiple of 432 Hz – known as ‘Verdi’s A,’ conceived by famous Italian composer Giuseppe Verdi.
According to music theory, 432 Hz is mathematically consistent with the universe. Music tuned to 432 Hz is said to be a pure sound while providing greater clarity, and is easier on the ears. From this starting point, the frequency will rise in multiples of 54 Hz with new sound layers added as the speed of the car increases. The seamlessly responsive acoustics will reflect the pure-electric performance of Battista combining rich bass tones to create a signature sound.
Commenting on the distinctive aural signature, Rene Wollmann, Product Platform Director Sports Cars at Automobili Pininfarina, said: “Every driver has an emotional bond with a car and the sound of Battista will nurture this connection, not by replicating a familiar car sound, but with one that radiates the beauty of Battista’s design both inside and out. This way, the Battista will not only impress with its aesthetic appeal and performance, but also on a new emotional level enhanced through the sound. We look forward to the input we will receive from clients in the US as we fine-tune Battista’s sonic experience.”
Connected – from anywhere in the world
A special provision made in the car is to be able to access online services consistently and reliably when crossing different countries. Automobili Pininfarina and Deutsche Telekom have come up with a way for Battista owners to do so in more than 50 countries worldwide – a first in the world of hypercars.
Every one of the 150 Battistas (to cost no less than US$2.5 million or around RM10.3 million) will come with an embedded SIM card and roaming technology for optimised connectivity worldwide. Using these components, Deutsche Telekom’s roaming partner network and roaming traffic steering logic enables the vehicle to search for the strongest network, so owners don’t find themselves in communication blackspots even as they cross international borders.
This superior connectivity also means greater convenience for owners to receive Over-The-Air (OTA) updates, the latest thing in the industry. By sending software updates online, the vehicle’s systems or devices will always be up-to-date and perform at their best. The system will be able to remotely update 26 individual electronic control modules in the Battista across functions covering the powertrain, safety and driving dynamics systems, vehicle control, infotainment as well as digital services.
The more exclusive Anniversario edition
As for the even more exclusive Battista Anniversario, the bodywork will have one of the most complex paint finishes in the world, with the process of creating akin to a great artist completing an Old Master painting. Skilled artisans will take several weeks to paint each car, building up the finish layer-by-layer and colour-by-colour – all by hand. The body is disassembled and reassembled three times so pinstripes in the three separate colours can be hand-painted directly onto the body.
Battista Anniversario
The Battista Anniversario is also equipped with the ‘Furiosa’ package, comprising a revised carbonfibre front splitter, side blades and rear diffuser. Exclusively on the Anniversario, these parts are finished in a two-tone combination of exposed signature carbonfibre and carbonfibre tinted in Iconica Blu with pin stripes in Bianco Sestriere.
Besides the exclusive livery, a bespoke rear wing, rear aero fins and other bespoke details are unique to the Battista Anniversario. The aerodynamic enhancements enabled by the Furiosa exterior changes deliver increased downforce and greater stability at higher cornering speeds and a more dynamic balance to the car.
Pininfarina has a long history of designed exotic supercars. The Ferrari F40 was one of them.
The Pininfarina Battista hypercar is already very exclusive to start with as only 150 units will be built. Each unit of the electric hyper GT has a starting price of US$2.5 million (about RM10.56 million) but customers are likely to pay much more as they will also want their Battista to be personalised. Naturally, Automobili Pininfarina is prepared for this and has an all-encompassing bespoke personalisation programme. It is something which the company would excel in, having its origins as a famous Italian automobile design house (it is now owned by India’s Mahindra Group).
All customers are invited to have discussions with the design team as part of an in-depth collaborative process. At the production facility is a perfect environment to inspire the creative process as it houses an extensive range of colour and material samples close to the car assembly area. Every element of the hypercar can have bespoke treatment, with clients offered a 360-degree consulting service resulting in a truly unique creation.
Creating a unique collector’s piece
“The Pininfarina name has a storied heritage of individual cars, and the Battista continues this legacy as every vehicle will be truly bespoke by design. Our clients have the unique opportunity to join the Automobili Pininfarina family, immersing themselves in the design process with our talented craftspeople to ensure their vehicle authentically reflects their personality and tastes, created with a truly personal touch,” said Sara Campagnolo, Head of Colour and Materials Design of Automobili Pininfarina. “Clients have the opportunity to drive forward the development of sustainable luxury, whilst creating a unique collector’s piece.”
New York City-inspired
The first bespoke commission is inspired by New York City and features a sophisticated red, white and blue colour theme, led by Exposed Signature Carbonfibre bodywork with Iconica Blu thread, the first application of its kind in the automotive industry.
The car also has Performance Stripes and Pinstripe finished in distinctive Bianco Sestriere metallic – meticulously applied by hand due to the complex shapes of the body panels – with a red Exterior Jewellery Pack elegantly completing the exterior design with a Furiosa Carbon Accent Pack finished in Black Exposed Signature Carbon.
Advanced materials, traditional coachbuilding
Mixing advanced composite materials with traditional coachbuilding techniques, the hand-painted finish for this one-off model will take hundreds of hours of expert attention. For this first unit, the Impulso wheels are finished in Dark Matt Grey with brushed aluminium centre-lock ring anodized in black, matching the black Goccia roof, rear diffuser, rear wing and brushed aluminium headlight engraving.
The luxurious interior provides further scope for personalisation, with everything from the choice of leather and Alcantara to the contrast stitching, Interior Jewellery Pack and fine aluminium interior detailing.
A total of 128 million combinations provides opportunities for clients to reflect their individual tastes, with all clients benefitting from Automobili Pininfarina’s commitment to sustainable luxury. This is evident in the methods used to craft the exquisite materials, such as leather interior elements tanned with olive leaves, a process that reduces the need for harmful chemicals in the creation of every Battista.
The Pilota seats are finished in black leather upholstery with Iconica Blu Alcantara that have navy colour inserts. The exterior theme is carried through to the interior with Iconica Blu stitching with unique red and white cross stitch, red headrest logo and unique white seatbelts, with Iconica Blu thread on the back of the carbon seats. Brushed aluminium detailing is finished in red, subtly referencing the red Exterior Jewellery Pack, with darker details provided by the Interior Jewellery Pack finished in brushed aluminium anodized in black.
56 exterior colour choices
In addition to the selection of 56 exterior paint finishes, Battista owners also have the opportunity to choose exposed carbonfibre bodywork, bespoke paint finishes for the ‘Goccia’ roof, exterior jewellery in the form of anodised finishes or bespoke paint, or a contrasting front end in the customer’s choice of colour. Even the engravings on the Battista chassis plate, located between the seats, can be personalised, along with a custom passenger-side door plate engraving.
The Carbon Accent Pack and Furiosa Carbon Accent Pack are available with a selection of bespoke paint colours or exposed carbonfibre finishes, complemented by the precise Furiosa pinstripe around the extremities of the bodywork. In addition, the mirror caps, rear wing, brake calipers, alloy wheels – both Prezioso and Impulso designs – and centre-lock rings can all be fully customised.
Can outrun a Formula 1 car
The Battista is claimed to be the most powerful car ever designed and built in Italy, with the promise of delivering a level of performance that is unachievable today in any road-legal sportscar using internal combustion engine technology. It will be quicker than a current Formula 1 car with a claimed 0 -100 km/h time of less than 2 seconds, and with 1,900 ps/2,300 Nm output from 4 electric motors. Operating with zero emissions, the Battista’s 120 kWh battery pack is expected to provide a range of over 500 kms when fully charged.
After all the computer simulations, wind tunnel studies and laboratory testing, the Pininfarina Battista all-electric hypercar is now starting its real-world testing. The first exercise has been a high-speed test run at the 12.6-km long track of the Nardo Technical Centre in Italy. Laps were also done on the laps of the twisting 6.2-km handling track.
This is a landmark moment and the successful test marks the beginning of the next chapter in the development programme of the most powerful Italian sports car ever produced. After this, there will be 9 test and validation versions driven on public roads and in private test facilities to fine-tune, validate and homologate its bespoke chassis settings, advanced torque vectoring system and unique sound experience.
The Nardo Technical Centre track in Italy where very high speed testing can be conducted.
“We have undertaken extensive development using advanced simulation technology, and we can now fine-tune the calibration of Battista’s bespoke chassis and pioneering four-motor torque vectoring system on road and track,” said Automobili Pininfarina’s Chief Product and Engineering Officer, Paolo Dellacha.
The Battista’s 120-kWh battery pack provides electrical power to 4 electric motors – one at each wheel – for a combined power output of 1,900 ps and maximum torque of 2,300 Nm. Its advanced powertrain is able to intelligently distribute power between all four wheels for optimised traction in all conditions. Five unique driving modes (Calma, Pura, Energica, Furiosa and Carattere) allow customisation of characteristics to driver preference or conditions.
“The phenomenal performance potential of the Battista is clear. Our clients will never have experienced acceleration like this before, yet giving them the opportunity to tailor their experience using a range of drive modes means this hypercar offers much more than just speed thrills,” aid the company’s Test Driver and Vehicle Dynamics Manager, Georgios Syropoulos.
The prototype Battista tested at Nardo Technical Centre was not a stripped-down development mule. Within its carbonfibre bodyshell, it had a fully finished interior complete with luxuriously executed detailing so the engineers could assess every element of the car.
Tailored driving experience
During the testing, the engineers carried out tuning of the advanced racing-inspired Brembo CCMR carbon-ceramic brake technology. Work will focus on blending its operation with the high-speed aerobrake and energy recuperation system for optimum performance.
The 4-motor torque vectoring will be uniquely tuned to suit the characteristics of the Battista in all conditions. Energy-neutral torque vectoring will be optimised to recuperate and shift electrical energy seamlessly for enhanced range and efficiency.
After around 1,000 of hours of virtual dynamic testing; double-wishbone suspension components, forged aluminium wheels, torsion bars and elastokinematics will be evaluated and fine-tuned, taking maximum advantage of the Battista’s ultra-stiff carbonfibre monocoque.
Customers will have a choice of 20-inch forged aluminium front and rear ‘Prezioso’ wheels and 20-inch front and 21-inch rear forged aluminium ‘Impulso’ wheels, with a saving of 8.9 kgs in unsprung mass across all wheels. High-performance Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2R or Pirelli P Zero will be available on request.
Quicker acceleration than F1 cars
Customers who receive the first hypercars and put them to the test should be able to accelerate from 0 – 100 km/h in under 2 seconds. That promised performance is quicker than a current Formula 1 car. For those who can find a place to get up to 300 km/h, the time claimed from 0 to 300 km/h is less than 12 seconds, with a top speed of 350 km/h.
The fully electric hyper GT is the realisation of the company founder’s dream to see a car produced wearing the Pininfarina name. No more than 150 examples will be available, each priced from US$2.5 million (about RM10.2 million) at the time the prototype Battista was unveiled in April 2019.
Click here to read more about The World’s First Globally-Connected Hypercar
For most people who can afford Pininfarina’s Battista pure-electric hypercar, communications on the move will be with the best available devices. If they are in the remotest areas on the planet, they would have satphones which make use of satellite networks encircling the earth.
However, when driving, they may find that access to online services are inconsistent or unreliable when crossing different countries. Understanding this, Automobili Pininfarina and Deutsche Telekom have come up with a way for Battista owners to easily access online services in more than 50 countries worldwide – a first in the world of hypercars.
Optimised connectivity worldwide
Every Battista will come with an embedded SIM card and roaming technology for optimised connectivity worldwide. Using these components, Deutsche Telekom’s roaming partner network and roaming traffic steering logic enables the vehicle to search for the strongest network, so owners don’t find themselves in communication blackspots even as they cross international borders.
This superior connectivity also means greater convenience for owners to receive Over-The-Air (OTA) updates, the latest thing in the industry. By sending software updates online, the vehicle’s systems or devices will always be up-to-date and perform at their best.
The system is able to remotely update 26 individual electronic control modules in the Battista across functions covering the pure-electric powertrain, advanced safety and driving dynamics systems, vehicle control, infotainment as well as digital services.
Future-proofing the hypercar
These software updates can be delivered via wifi when parked within range in the garage, or using the embedded SIM on the road. In this way, the Battista is future-proof and owners will continue to benefit from the latest software advances as the years pass.
“All of these elements of connectivity contribute to our seamless ‘Life on Board’ Concept. Everything from the driver-orientated user-experience to the convenience features such as the global roaming and OTA updates have been developed and engineered to bring heightened convenience to our luxury hyper GT,” said Paolo Dellacha, Chief Product and Engineering Officer of Automobile Pininfarina which is owned by India’s Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd.
Digital concierge
The ‘digital concierge’ experience includes Smart Diagnostics technology, which monitors the car’s system to spot potential issues before they arise to ensure the pinnacle of electrified performance and safety at all time. If the system detects an issue that cannot be dealt with remotely by a software update, Automobili Pininfarina will dispatch one of its team of engineers to resolve the issue – wherever the car is parked in the world.
A specially developed smartphone app keeps owners connected to their Battista at all times, enabling customers to remotely lock and unlock the car, view telemetry, check the state of charge and monitor the location of Battista. On the move, drivers can seamlessly link their smartphone which will mirror key apps and functions within the vehicle for enhanced music streaming and real-time navigation capabilities.
This wider connected and digital ecosystem is enhanced by the Battista’s advanced infotainment system. The two logically-arranged and intuitive touchscreens and an additional slim display located in the centre, deliver all the key telemetry, dynamic functions and information as well as featuring selected media and navigation elements and controls. All have been designed and positioned in a way to ensure minimum driver distraction while providing all the required information while on the move.
The Battista will be the most powerful car ever designed and built in Italy, with the claim that it will deliver a level of performance that is unachievable today in any road-legal sportscar using internal combustion engine technology. With 1,900 bhp/2,300 Nm, it will be faster than a current Formula 1 race car in its 0 -100 km/h sub-2 second sprint and, with a 120 kWh battery pack, travel over 500 kms. 150 hypercars will be built, each said to cost no less than US$2.5 million (almost RM10.3 million).
Vinfast, Vietnam’s only domestic brand, has been in the market for a couple of years now and is working hard at establishing its credentials as a premium carmaker. Besides the two models it has already started producing, it has also come up with a limited edition SUV model exclusively for the Vietnamese market.
Designed by Pininfarina (which was also involved in its first two models), the SUV is known as the President and claimed to be one of the most powerful SUVs in the world at the moment. Vinfast will build 500 units for sale; the first 1000 will be sold for 3.8 billion VND (equivalent to about RM682,000) and for the remaining 400, the price will be 4.6 billion VND (about RM823,000).
To join the ‘most powerful SUV’ club, the President’s V8 engine has a maximum output of 420 ps/624 Nm and, with an 8-speed automatic transmission and full-time 4-wheel drive, the claimed 0 to 100 km/h acceleration time is 6.8 seconds and a top speed capability of nearly 300 km/h.
As would be expected of such an exclusive model. Pininfarina has given it a majestic and elegant design. The grille is designed in a diamond shape to accentuate the high position, while a large air cavity enhances the strong appearance. The highlight at the rear is a pair of large dual exhaust tailpipes.
Besides a choice of 18 exterior colours, the premium finishing includes sophisticated details covered in gold colour, copper bronze, gun metal, or metallic silver on the logo, roof rack, door braces, car steps, wheels, and bumpers.
The inside gives priority to the comfort of the rear occupants (although the driver’s comfort is not ignored). Massage functions are available in the seats, along with heating and ventilation features for the first and second rows. In particular, the second row of seats is very spacious with legroom of up to 20 cm more compared to the Lux SA2.0 model.
The seats are covered with premium Nappa leather from exclusive leather suppliers, along with premium veneer wood made in Italy exclusively for the President. The wood cladding on each car will have a completely different pattern, thus creating a unique ‘ID’ and adding to the exclusiveness. The entertainment system consists of a 7-inch multi-function display cluster with a centre screen of 12.3 inches and 13 high-end speakers positioned around the cabin.
Commenting on the President, Nguyen Thi Van Anh, Standing Deputy General Director of VinFast, said: “President is a product line that represents the high class and quality of VinFast, it is also our affirmation to the world of Vietnamese automobile production capacity. We want to dedicate this wonderful product and VinFast’s top-notch customer care services to Vietnamese people who have a pioneering and strong spirit. That is also the reason why VinFast only produces a limited number of 500 cars to ensure this masterpiece is worthy of its owner”.
