F1-tribute Pininfarina hypercar to make Goodwood debut
A new evolution of the Pininfarina Battista electric hypercar will be in action at Goodwood later this week. The Battista Edizione Nino Farina will make its world debut at the 2023 Festival of Speed, driven by former Goodwood hillclimb record-holder Nick Heidfeld.
The 1,900hp ‘hyper GT’ is named after Nino Farina, the first F1 world champion and nephew of company founder Battista ‘Pinin’ Farina. Its carbon fibre body is finished in bespoke Rosso Nino paint, with bold ’01’ side graphics and satin gold alloy wheels.
Automobili Pininfarina plans to build up to 150 examples of the £2 million Battista at its facility in Turin. The Edizione Nino Farina is limited to five cars, each with a unique aluminium plaque to celebrate five landmarks in Nino’s life and racing career.
Electric shock
One of the world’s fastest road cars, the Battista is closely related to the Croatian-built Rimac Nevera. With a 120kWh battery and four electric motors – one driving each wheel – producing a monstrous 1,726lb ft of torque, it can rocket to 60mph in 1.79 seconds and 120mph in 4.49 seconds. Top speed is 217mph.
As you’d hope from a company with the most famous name in car design, the Pininfarina is also rather beautiful. If the Nevera is slightly generic and the rival Lotus Evija looks entirely sculpted by aerodynamics, the Battista combines function with elegant form. Look closely and you can spot Nino Farina’s name engraved into each headlight and his signature on the side wings.
Unusually, the Edizione Nino Farina has two seats in contrasting colours. The driver’s side is black leather, while the passenger gets beige and black Alcantara. The seat-backs are painted in Rosso Nino, and they feature blue seatbelts and an embroidered Pininfarina logo.
Ready for Quick Nick
The Battista Edizione Nino Farina will be put through its paces at the Goodwood Festival of Speed by Nick Heidfeld. Now a development driver for Pininfarina, Heidfeld has previously raced in F1 for Williams, Jordan and others.
In 1999, ‘Quick Nick’ also set the fastest time on the famous Goodwood hillclimb in a McLaren MP4/13 – a record that stood for 20 years. So we can expect him to make full use of the Battista’s prodigious power when he races up the Duke of Richmond’s driveway.
“Driving this car will be an experience much like pulling on the suit of a superhero. An exceptional and emotional experience is assured,” says Paolo Dellachà, CEO of Automobili Pininfarina. We can well believe it.
Tim Pitt writes for Motoring Research