Carscoops: Pininfarina

Showing posts with label Pininfarina. Show all posts

VIDEO: De Tomaso Resurrected with BMW 5-GT-esque SLC Crossover Concept

We have to admit that, upon learning about former Fiat marketing executive Gian Mario Rossignolo's plans to re-launch the De Tomaso brand with the Pininfarina-penned SLC crossover concept at the upcoming Geneva Show, we were curious to see what the famous Italian design house would come up with.

But our hopes of seeing something truly exciting were thwarted by this here video, which was filmed during a special presentation event held in Rome. No offense to VW Group's Spanish subsidiary, but the SLC crossover looks like a BMW 5-Series GT made by...SEAT.

A small series production of the Lancia-badged New Stratos seems increasingly likely as time passes by and more people learn about the supercar created by Pininfarina for German businessman Michael Stoschek.

According to the latest announcement, so far 40 potential buyers from Europe and other regions have registered their interest in the New Stratos, but Pininfarina and Stoschek believe that this number will continue to increase after the massive exposure from test drives and presentations in a variety of car magazines in their February and March issues.

Photo: BAW C71 from 2010 Beijing Show

Yesterday, we brought you photos and details about a new and very Mercedes-Benz B-Class-like model from BAIC or Beijing Automotive Industry Holding Corp. Today, we have more news on the Chinese automaker as a media report citing an unnamed executive from the company claims that BAIC is working with Italian engineering and design specialist Pininfarina on a new vehicle based on the underpinning of a previous generation Saab model.

The PR people behind the New Stratos project continue to slowly reveal additional information about Pininfarina's one-off supercar. This time they released the full tech specs and performance figures.

Based on Ferrari F430 Scuderia underpinnings, the retrotastic Stratos packs a considerable punch. It measures 4.1 meters in length and tips the scales at just 1.247 kg (2.749 pounds) with the weight distributed 44% in the front and 56% at the rear. Power-to-weight ratio is 2.3 kg/hp, thanks to the 4.3-liter V8 engine, which churns out 540 hp and over 500 Nm (369 lb-ft) of torque. That’s 30 ponies more than the Scuderia’s stock powerplant.

After Pininfarina presented the New Stratos to the car's owner Michael Stoschek, the Italian design house invited Ferrari head-honcho Luca di Montezemelo to take it for a spin around the Fiorano circuit in Maranello.

According to the project's official website, Mr. di Montezemolo was very impressed with the New Stratos, openly praising it with exclamations such as "bellissima" and "congratulazioni". And that's not all, as the Ferrari CEO called his technical director, Roberto Fedeli, and suggested he should also take a look at the car.

The automotive industry was taken by surprise a few months ago when it was revealed that German businessman, Michael Stoschek, commissioned Pininfarina to build an one-off successor to the legendary Lancia Stratos HF, based on the Ferrari F430 Scuderia. Now, new technical data emerged about this very special model.

It's only fitting that a one-off special like the 21st century Stratos [New Lancia Stratos for those not associated with the Fiat Group] has its own website. So now that the car is out in the open, the man who commissioned the build, Michael Stoschek, owner and CEO of the German automotive supplier, Brose KG, launched a dedicated site about the car detailing its history and development.

The website pretty much confirms what we said about the New Stratos in our previous article, including that it makes use of the platform and running gear of a Ferrari F430 Scuderia sporting a 510HP 4.3-liter V8 and that it is being built by Italy's Pininfarina.

No, this isn't the real-life car of George Jetson. It's the 1960 Pininfarina X, a futuristic concept from the famous Italian design house for a four-door saloon with three wheels and an aerodynamically shaped body that was said to achieve a drag coefficient of 0,23. Pininfarina's concept model features a 43HP Fiat engine of the same era.

Marking the celebrations of the its 80th anniversary, Pininfarina unveiled a new all-electric mini-car prototype called the Nido EV. It is an evolution of the original Nido concept that Pininfarina showed in 2004.

According to the Italian design house, the Nido EV is a "veritable laboratory designed both to explore the electrification of a small city car and to develop a modular floorpan."

The 2,905mm-long two seater prototype uses a tubular steel frame, but the final version will have a lighter aluminium space frame. Pininfarina claims that the structure was designed to be able spawn up to four different, completely electric or hybrid vehicles including two-seater, 2+2, pickup and van models.

Pininfarina's Alfa Romeo spider has debuted in Geneva, and it now has a name: 2uettottanta. Built to commemorate Alfa Romeo's centenary and Pininfarina's own 80th birthday, the 2uettottanta spider is an eye-popping look at the gorgeousness that could be a possible roadster from Alfa Romeo to replace the current Spider.

The 2uettottanta is built for "those looking for a mixture of vanity, entertainment, and the pleasure of life in the open air", and Pininfarina seems to think a production 2uettottanta-based Duetto would go well with a side of 1,750cc turbocharged 4-cylinder ("positioned longitudinally, an obvious reference to the '1750 Veloce' of 1968"). I'm inclined to agree.

Pininfarina has just released a second sketch of its take on a possible new Alfa Romeo Spider. Much like Bertone's Pandion, Pininfarina's yet-unnamed concept has been commissioned in order to celebrate Alfa Romeo's hundredth birthday (and Pininfarina's own 80th birthday).

Alfa reps have said that both concepts are exactly that -- concepts; as in, not gonna be built. However, rumors (and hopes) have been circling of a possible Duetto revival, and from the looks of things Pininfarina is doing its damnedest to get its take on the idea at the very least fan-approved.

In celebration of its own 80th anniversary and Alfa Romeo's 100th birthday, famous Italian design house Pininfarina announced that it will be unveiling a new roadster concept model at this year's Geneva Salon on March 2.

Pininfarina said in a statement that the two seater concept car will blend modern with vintage styling cues from classic Alfa Romeo Spiders of the past. Aside from the teaser sketch seen above, the Italian company did not release any other images or details on the roadster model.

Pininfarina 'Golden Ferrari' Revives Fantuzzi's 1965 Ferrari 250 GT NART Spyder

The retro-styled Ferrari you see pictured above was snapped by a reader over from our Dutch friends at Autoblog.nl. There's no official information on the Pininfarina-designed Prancing Horse model other than it's named 'The Golden Ferrari'. Though it looks that it could be based on the Ferrari 599 GTB, we can't be sure about its underpinnings. However, what we can tell you is that it's styling revives the 1965 Ferrari 250GT NART Spyder that was designed and built by Modena coachbuilder Fantuzi for Ferrari's North American importer, Luigi Chinetti.

This car, that was based on the Ferrari 250 GTE was shown for the first time to the public at the 1965 San Francisco Sports Car show and it later appeared at the New York and Miami Auto motorshows.

A golden version of the 250GT NART Spyder was featured in a short film called "Toby Dammit" that we've never heard before but apparently inspired Pininfarina in the creation of this mysterious Ferrari.

We thank Vincent from Autoblog.nl for the photos

For Photos of the orig. 1965 Ferrari 250GT NART Spyder Click here: Prancing Horse Farm / Supercars

Pininfarina B0: Paris Show Car Previews 2009 Electric Mini

Pininfarina B0 Bollero Electric Mini 2009

Sign of the times? Perhaps, but fact is that Pininfarina’s Paris Show surprise debut was neither a Ferrari nor a Maserati. Instead the famous Italian design house presented an all-electric city car called the B0 –with a zero and not an ‘O’. The B0 is the result of a partnership between Pininfarina and Bollore, a French company that specializes in components for capacitors. Interestingly, Pininfarina claims that the B0 is not a prototype as it will be mass produced with the first units coming off the production line at the end of 2009, after which production will be ramped up gradually based on the availability of the batteries. -Continued

The sleek-looking city car which will be built in Turin, Italy by Pininfarina-Bolloré, a joint venture formed by the two family-owned groups, is not based on any existing model as it was designed from the ground up. Its batteries are housed in a compartment specially designed for that purpose and located under the car, between its axles. This solution lowers the B0’s center of gravity thus improving its road-holding properties.

According to Pininfarina, the batteries can be charged in a matter of hours from a standard domestic main socket providing it with a range of 250 km or 153 miles. Additionally, the B0 will feature a set of solar panels on its roof and hood that will help recharge the batteries. Equipped with an automatic gearbox, the four-seater, five-door hatchback is said to have an electronically governed top speed of 130 km/h (80 mph) while acceleration from zero to 60 km/h (0 to 37 mph) will come in 6.3 seconds.

Video Pininfarina Hyperion: Interview with the Owner and the Design Team

Along with the Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Gran Sport, the Pininfarina Hyperion cabriolet was one of the most hyped vehicles at this year’s Concours d’Elegance classic car show in California. The one-off custom built cabriolet is based on the Rolls Royce Drophead Coupe and was commissioned by Rolland Hall, a young and apparently very rich Brit. The guys from Garage419 went to Pebble Beach and interviewed Rolland Hall along with Paolo Garella, Lowie Vermeersch, and Jason Castriota of Pininfarina. Hear what they had to say about the Hyperion in the video after the jump – just don’t freak out with the annoying in-between ads. -Continued

Via: Egmcartech , Source: Garage419

Pininfarina Hyperion Rolls Royce Cabriolet: New Image Gallery

Italian design house and coachbuilder Pininfarina presented the Hyperion at the Concours d’Elegance at Pebble Beach in California. The one-off custom-built car that is derived from the Rolls-Royce Drophead Coupe was named after Hyperion, one of the Titans of Greek mythology. The Hyperion was created for collector Roland Hall who asked Pininfarina to design a custom-built car that would evoke the appeal of the lavish cars of the 1930s. Or at least that was the Italian coachbuilder’s intent as we find the Hyperion looks a bit too gaudy - like something that came out of the Thunderbird TV series. Of course that’s our personal take so feel free to disagree.

Under the skin, while the Hyperion maintains the Drophead Coupe’s 6.75-liter V12 engine, Pininfarina moved the driving position further back (400 mm), took out the rear seats, extended the roof and shortened the rear end. The bodywork is made of carbon fibre with the exception of the doors that are made out of solid wood by craftsmen who specialize in creating components for luxury boats. -Continued

The Italian firm also designed a new hood, which folds behind the seats under a wood-lined cover. In front of the windscreen Pininfarina created two compartments for small items or for sports equipment.

The interior of the car is practically unchanged, as the only addition concerns a new watch that was designed specifically for the Hyperion by Girard-Perregaux. Interestingly, the watch can be removed from the dash and attached to a bracelet to be worn on the wrist.