Pininfarina, should you have ever heard of that name, always seems to conjure images of Ferraris and other exotic automotive works of roving sculpture. Lately, though, the company has begun to embrace loftier ambitions, unveiling the HK GT - a 590kW four-seat coupe concept powered by innovative gas turbine generators.
Continuing this thread of future-facing vehicles, the Italian design house collaborated yet again with the Hybrid Kinetic Group to create the H2 Speed that premiered at the 2018 Geneva Motor Show, a hydrogen-powered vehicle designed to offer the performance and aerodynamic prowess of any cutting edge racing car.
Now, here we are again with yet another concept vehicle, but one that’s likelier than their previous outings to actually reach production, so they say. It’s called the PF0 and is being branded as a luxury electric hypercar. We’ve no idea what the final product will actually offer, but these teasers suggest its silhouette should match those we’ve seen on other mid-engine combustion-powered cars. It should also bear a passing resemblance to their Fittipaldi EF7 Vision Gran Turismo Concept.
There’s very little doubt, given Pininfarina’s design provenance, that the PF0 will be quite object to behold. However, questions surrounding the car’s propulsion systems and human-centric executions are tougher ones to answer.
“The design of PF0 will espouse purity, beauty and innovation. Working closely with Pininfarina SpA we have created three new images that give prospective owners an exciting preview of the design features we will introduce on this incredible hypercar.”
It’s very likely that the car will be revealed to have electric motors powering its wheels, but it’s still a mystery as to how those will receive a strong and steady flow of charge. Like other EV makers of today, it could use a large reserve of lithium ion cells positioned along its floor, or it could make use of a yet unknown hydrogen powerplant. Indeed, the jet turbine generator previously used in the HK GT is also a possible candidate, though one that’s a little less likely.
Either way, the car’s target performance numbers do portend a very quick car indeed, capable of accelerating from rest to 100km/h in less than 2 seconds and capable of a top speed of over 400km/h. Meanwhile, it will purportedly boast a zero emissions range of over 480km.
Nick Heidfeld of Formula 1 racing fame and more recently of Formula E has been announced as Automobili Pininfarina’s factory driving, helping the team developed the PF0’s dynamics starting in 2019 to the car’s on-sale date of late 2020. Prior to that, however, the company does plan to drum up some hype by unveiling the near finished design at the 2018 Pebble Beach concours next month.
"Clients of PF0 and the future portfolio of Automobili Pininfarina luxury cars will find ownership as enjoyable, effortless and exciting as it is driving them. We fully intend to partner with the world’s best luxury car retailers in order to help deliver on that promise: a true team effort and one-to-one experience that online sales can never deliver”, said Michael Perschke, CEO of Automobili Pininfarina.
