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The Battista at Monterey Car Week

If you are dreaming about a clear carbon fiber, all-electric hypercar with an amazing pedigree from a famous Italian automotive design firm, you can now feel comfortable as Automobili Pininfarina is about to unveil the Battista, this Hyper GT will make her US debut at The Quail and Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance during the 2021 edition of the famous Monterey Car Week, this will consequently also be the world première of this car to the public.

And Automobili Pininfarina will bring another, even more special, car to Monterey this year, the Battista Anniversario, a tribute model to the life and work of design icon Battista ‘Pinin’ Farina, this version will come with bespoke aerodynamics and special details only available on this Anniversario edition, that will be limited to only 5 units worldwide, all in a unique Automobili Pininfarina-designed livery and bi-color tinted Furiosa Pack consisting of a front splitter, side blades and rear diffuser, with outer carbon parts finished in black exposed signature carbon while the inner parts will be made in exposed carbon fiber tinted in Iconica Blu.

But back to the ‘regular’ Automobili Pininfarina Battista, the show car for Monterey Car Week will be finished in their signature black exposed carbon fiber for the entire body while the interior comes with Iconica Blu details, many electric cars have hints of blue usually, this specific Battista is actually a production prototype, the car is ready for production as we speak.

During Monterey Car Week, none other than Luca Borgogno, Chief Design Officer at Automobili Pininfarina, will be part of the judges’ panel at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, where a fleet of iconic Pininfarina-designed vehicles will gather to celebrate over 90 years of design excellence by Pininfarina.

Per Svantesson, CEO of Automobili Pininfarina, said: “The premiere of the first production-specification Battista in the US marks the beginning of another significant chapter in the Automobili Pininfarina story. We are excited to showcase the beautiful and sustainable future of luxury to our clients while celebrating more than 90 years of Pininfarina design heritage during Monterey Car Week. We look forward to our clients in the US experiencing the immense dynamic performance and personalized luxury of Battista for the first time.”

And while the clear carbon fiber exterior of this show car might attract a lot of attention, the interior is just as amazing, with black sustainable leather combined with Iconica Blu contrast stitching and quilted Pilota seats themselves also finished in Iconica Blu Alcantara while also featuring Pilota Carbon Components finished in the same black exposed carbon fiber as the body of this Hyper GT.

This is the first time the 1,900 hp hypercar from Pininfarina will be shown to the public as a production-ready vehicle, this hypercar will be able to reach 100 km/h (62 mph) from standing still in less than 2 seconds, priced at $2,200,000 each there will be only 150 units available for the entire world, while the battery can come with a warranty up to 10 years into the future.

If you are interested in one of these 150 Automobili Pininfarina Battista you can turn to a global network of selected salespoints, for the USA these are located in San Fransisco, Los Angeles, Denver, Dallas, New York, and Miami, further up north, you are also able to buy this car in either Toronto or Vancouver … but why not visit their stand at the Monterey Car Week on August 13 to get an impression of this amazing hypercar first hand.

August 4, 2021 / Comments Off on The Battista at Monterey Car Week
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Polestar 1 production will end this year

When the Polestar 1 was unveiled in 2017 the response was immense, and the orders started pouring in for this impressive PHEV Performance hybrid GT, first deliveries didn’t happen until 2020, but by the end of 2021 the production of this “technological tour-de-force” will be halted, so if you want to add this $155,000 to your garage you will have to secure one of the final remaining build slots as soon as possible.

The Polestar 1 might remind you of a Volvo by her looks, but Polestar is the stand-alone Performance department from Volvo, and they’ve created some really impressive cars, remember the Volvo V60 Polestar in that bespoke blue shade, a great estate to get to your destination in a hurry.

But the Polestar 1 is a car from a new breed, a high-performance Hybrid GT packing a massive 619 hp and 738 lb.-ft. of torque from the combination of two electric motors on the rear axle and a 2.0-liter, in-line four-cylinder, supercharged, and turbocharged petrol engine, an integrated starter generator at the front is another plus.

The Polestar 1 features a lightweight, carbon fiber body with a distinctive low roofline, that includes a fixed, panoramic glass roof stretching the full length, and width of the car. On the stylish interior of this 2+2 seater, you’ll find a Bowers & Wilkins sound system and intricate leather upholstery with handcrafted detailing.

The Polestar 1 still holds the record for the longest range in pure electric mode, thanks to a triple battery system, you can complete 60 miles on battery power alone, with two electric motors on the rear wheels, each with a power output of no less than 116 hp (85 kW), acceleration from 0 60 mph takes only 3.8 seconds, the quarter-mile is completed in 12.0 seconds, reaching a speed of 119.1 mph, despite the weight of 2,345 kg (5,155-pound).

The top speed of the Polestar 1 is 163 Mph, or just over 260 km/h, and thanks to the adjustable Öhlins dampers the ride on those massive 21-inch wheels (with 275/30 R21 for the front and 295/30 R21 for the rear) isn’t too bad in the end, it’s not a luxury car after all, but a performance GT, so expect a harder ride than usual from lesser models from Volvo. The 6-piston Akebono brakes behind the stylish wheels make sure all that acceleration and high-speed can be stopped in a hurry when needed.

The Polestar 1 is built in Chengdu, China (remember Polestar is part of the Geely-owned Volvo Car Group), and while you can still order this very special car today, time is running out, once production reached 1,500 units, it’s all over, and you can’t get one anymore, so it’s time to hurry up and visit Polestar Spaces across North America for a hands-on experience and test drive.

February 12, 2021 / Comments Off on Polestar 1 production will end this year
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The first production prototype of the Bugatti Centodiece is currently being assembled

At “The Quail – A Motorsports Gathering” in California back in 2019, Bugatti unveiled an extremely special project … the Centodiece as an homage to the legendary Bugatti EB110 from the Nineties, created by Romano Artioli and Giampaolo Benedini, the EB110 was responsible for the revival of Bugatti as a hypercar manufacturer.

30 years later the Centodiece wants to evoke that same sentiment again, but in a brand-new, contemporary design … the angular styling of the EB110 just wouldn’t work today, but Bugatti only wants to build 10 units of the Centodiece and with a price tag of €8,000,000 (which is $9,700,00 at today’s exchange rate), this very exclusive car is destined for a select few customers, still, they sold all ten units in a matter of hours.

The Bugatti Centodiece is being created by the one-off and few-off projects department at Molsheim, but it has to meet very stringent requirements just like the normal (of you can call any Bugatti ‘normal’) production cars, probably the Centodiece customers even expect their car to exceed every single Bugatti known today, so the pressure is on at Bugatti to build the best EB110 tribute possible.

The time has come at Molsheim to build the first production prototype for the new Bugatti Centodiece, Andre Kullig, who was involved in cars like the Divo and La Voiture Noire, was looking forward to finally build the first Centodiece after more than a year of calculations, simulating, designing, and testing the new design.

Recently the development team at Bugatti was able to put the first rolling chassis to work in their in-house dynamometer to make sure the drivetrain is up to specs, after all, we are talking about a W16 engine that will deliver 1,600 hp in the end … the next step is to build the actual bodywork now …

The challenges are enormous: taking an 8-liter engine capable of 1,600 hp gets extremely hot, and as an homage to the EB110, the engine cover is made of glass so you can admire this powerplant, so they need a large air vent and optimized airflow to make sure the engine gets enough cooling. Inspiration from the EB110 Super Sport was taken for the five, oval air intake behind the side window, but also for the fixed rear wing.

The first customer deliveries for the Bugatti Centodiece will only happen by 2022, first, they have to complete this production prototype, and then take it to the track for many miles to perfectly finetune the engine, suspension, cooling, and chassis setup … only after every single parameter is perfected will the first owner be able to take delivery of his ‘one of ten’ Bugatti Centodiece.

February 10, 2021 / Comments Off on The first production prototype of the Bugatti Centodiece is currently being assembled
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Bentley just built the 80,000th Continental GT in Crewe

The Home of Bentley in Crewe, UK has produced the 80,000th individual, made-to-order example of the Continental GT – the world’s definitive luxury grand tourer. The 80,000th car – a right-hand drive Continental GT V8 in Orange Flame – was handcrafted earlier this week, in the world’s first carbon neutral factory for luxury car production.

In 1952, the Bentley R-Type Continental made its debut; a Mulliner-bodied coupe with a top speed of just less than 120 mph. It was the fastest four-seater car in the world and very quickly earned a reputation as the ultimate in high-speed luxury.

In 2003, the Continental GT was launched – the first car of the modern Bentley era. Inspired by the R-Type, the first Continental GT established an entirely new market segment – the modern luxury Grand Tourer. Ever since, it has been the unchallenged benchmark for the sector that it founded, with an average of nearly 5,000 examples a year being delivered to customers around the world.

Today, eighteen years later, Bentley’s skilled craftspeople – many of whom will have worked on the very first example of the Continental GT (still owned by Bentley) – have handcrafted the 80,000th car. Over this period the style, technology and engineering beneath the car has evolved significantly, seeing an increase of up to 27 per cent in peak power, whilst models within the range have also achieved a reduction over the original Continental GT of 48 per cent in CO2 emissions.

Bentley’s Chairman and Chief Executive, Adrian Hallmark, comments:

“At its launch in 2003, Bentley redefined the modern grand tourer with the revolutionary Continental GT. Now in 2021, the GT continues to be the ultimate luxury grand tourer, encompassing the latest technology, performance and style. This success is a testament to the skills of our designers, engineers and craftspeople here in Crewe.”

“I had the pleasure of launching the original GT in 2003 in my first stint at Bentley, and being here for the launch of the latest generation – and the iterations that have followed – has been a source of great pride for me personally. It will continue to be the iconic backbone of the Bentley business for years to come, even as we transition to the world’s leading provider of sustainable luxury mobility.”

The platform beneath the car was upgraded to a Bentley design for the third generation, allowing a totally new stance, proportions and levels of dynamic ability that raised the bar again. Wrapped in a totally new bodywork design, with sharper lines and more flowing surfaces, the Continental GT remains a stylish and thoroughly contemporary grand tourer.

A statement of true luxury, the third generation Continental GT represents the pinnacle of Bentley’s two-door design and engineering achievements. Effortlessly elegant and more sculpted and sharply defined, the body and materials combine to create truly breath-taking cars.

With a choice of powertrains, one of the most extensive colour palettes in the world and with almost limitless interior options, unique configurations can run into billions of variations. Indeed, there are currently a total of 17 billion ways in which a customer can specify a Continental GT. Beyond that, through the services of Bentley Mulliner – Bentley’s in-house bespoke division – the only limitation is the imagination of the customer. Owning a Continental GT guarantees both individuality and exclusivity, despite being part of a family now 80,000 strong.

The 80,000th vehicle is an eye catching Continental GT V8 in Orange Flame, finished with the optional Blackline Specification and Styling Specification, both adding to the car’s presence and hinting at the GT’s performance credentials.

A Family Gathering to Celebrate
To mark the production milestone, Bentley drew on its heritage fleet to show the evolution and achievements of the Continental GT since 2003.

Marking the car through its generations were:

  • The very first production Continental GT, VIN 0001, still a taxed-and-tested car on Bentley’s fleet
  • A Continental Supersports coupe, considered by many to be the pinnacle of the first generation GT family
  • A second generation Continental GT V8 S coupe, finished in Jetstream
  • From the current press fleet, a Dragon Red Continental GT Convertible

The Continental GT has also supported Bentley’s long tradition of racing and record breaking that started in the 1920s when the Bentley Boys set the pace at European circuits. In 1922, John Duff drove his Bentley 3 Litre single handed for 24 hours, at an average speed of almost 87 mph at Brooklands to secure 39 Class D records. And in 1928, another 3 Litre driven by Dudley Froy became the first car to achieve more than 115 mph over a distance of 100 miles at the same venue.

To mark recent achievements, the line-up was joined by some of the most exciting performance-focused Continental GTs:

  • The first Ice Speed Record GT, driven by four-times World Rally Champion Juha Kankkunen, which smashed the world ice speed record in 2007, reaching an average speed of 199.86 mph (321.65 km/h) on frozen sea off the coast of Finland.
  • The first-generation Continental GT3 racecar, that returned Bentley to winning ways on the racetrack in 2014 and secured victories on tracks all around the world
  • The 2019 Pikes Peak GT, which still holds the Production Class record at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. Driven by three-time champion Rhys Millen, the car took 8.4 seconds off the previous record along the 12.42-mile course, climbing 5,000 ft through 156 bends in just 10 minutes, 18.4 seconds.
  • The 2020 Ice Race GT, which took part in the GP Ice Race at Zell Am See in February last year on the same weekend that the final member of the line-up – the latest-generation Continental GT3 – won the Bathurst 12 Hour in Australia.

After 18 years and three generations, the Continental GT is still the quintessential grand tourer – phenomenally powerful, beautifully designed and exquisitely crafted.

January 30, 2021 / Comments Off on Bentley just built the 80,000th Continental GT in Crewe
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