Italy's Newest Automaker Has Two More Models On The Way

Aug. 07, 2019 2:45 PM ET by Jared Rosenholtz / 3 Comments

And you better believe they will both look great.

Pininfarina is most notably known as a design firm and coachbuilder, credited with some of the greatest designs in automotive history. But the company is now ready to build its own cars, starting with a 1,900-horsepower electric hypercar called the Battista. Only 150 examples will be built, just 50 of which will make it to the US, with a starting price of around $2.5 million. This puts the Battista right in the firing order of the recently-revealed Lotus Evija, which outdoes the Italian with 1,972 all-electric hp.

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With nearly 2,000 hp on tap, the Bautista will likely be one of the fastest cars in the world, but it will be a very low-volume vehicle. Speaking with Automotive News Europe, Pininfarina CEO Michael Perschke said the company plans to follow up the Battista with a more conventional sedan and an SUV.

These new models will be less expensive than the Battista but they will still compete in an ultra-luxury segment with price tags between 200,000 and 400,000 euros (around $225,000 to $450,000). Pininfarina is currently in talks with potential partners to find a platform to underpin the two models and the company expects to have finished products in less than three years.

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An unnamed supplier will provide a "skateboard" electric platform with battery packs between 100 and 125 kilowatt-hours and a range of around 372 miles. Tesla seems like an ideal candidate to supply the platform, given the amazing performance of its P100D models, but the Volkswagen Group's PPE platform used by the upcoming Porsche Taycan was ruled out as an option because it wouldn't allow for the additional height of an SUV.

"It's our clear strategic intent is to become a significant player in the hypercar and super-luxury segment," Perschke said. "We have a very clear intent to not remain a one-hit-wonder."

The company hasn't decided which will arrive first, the sedan or the SUV, and will let the customer dictate the order. If we had to put money on it, we'd guess the SUV without a shadow of a doubt. Either way, Pininfarina will show possible designs for both cars to customers at Pebble Beach later this month.

It also hasn't been decided where the two cars will be built. "Ideally we would produce in Italy, but we've had a lot of inquiries from other governments," Perschke said. "The countries with stronger EV development policies are Germany, France, and the UK. The Italian government is, unfortunately, lagging behind."