THE Pininfarina , after long years of difficulties and uncertainties about its future — which led to its being acquired by the Indian Mahindra — is ready to start a new phase of its existence, which has already lasted for 88 years.
From carrozzieri, the design and engineering atelier, through to a car producer, Pininfarina will also become synonymous with a car brand, with its own design models. THE Automobile Pininfarina was officially unveiled last Friday, April 13, but will definitely take off in 2020 — coinciding with its 90th anniversary — with the launch of its first model.
Despite its name, it is a new company, separate from Pininfarina, which will maintain its activities as a design and engineering house, covering several areas beyond the automobile.
Code name: PF0
Its first model, known internally as PF0 , will be unveiled in 2019, and it is a zero-emission hypercar, which is, as they say, 100% electric. The numbers that accompany this new machine are massive, living up to the hypercar epithet.The PF0 will have all-wheel drive, provided by four electric motors — one per wheel —, totaling 2000 hp of maximum power . Being electric and battery powered, it will be heavy, with Automobili Pininfarina noting that, even so, it will weigh less than 2000 kg. That is, a power-to-weight ratio of less than 1 kg/hp, if it materializes.
The estimated benefits are visceral. The 100 km/h will be reached in less than 2 s (!), the 300 km/h in less than 12 s and a top speed in excess of 400 km/h — ambitious numbers that recall those announced for an American electric super sports future…
And autonomy? Automobili Pininfarina promises 500 km of maximum range, but probably not exploiting the PF0's full performance potential.
Italian, yes, but with Croatian technology
The development of electrical technology is being carried out with the Rimac . The Croatian company, which focuses its efforts on the development of technologies for electric cars, recently presented its second zero-emission hypercar called C_Two — at the Geneva Motor Show. a monster with 1914 hp and which also announces less than 2.0 s to reach 100 km/h.
Will PF0 have a closer C_Two relationship? We will have to wait and see.
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Future of the brand will have… an SUV
The expected price for PF0 should comfortably rise to the seven digits, associated with a very low production. It will serve as a business card for future proposals for the new car brand, which should focus on a new luxury SUV , with prices starting at 150 thousand euros, according to statements by Michael Perschke, the CEO of the new brand.