It felt like a fighter jet: $2 million Pininfarina Battista can hit 60 mph in under 2 seconds

It felt like a fighter jet: $2 million Pininfarina Battista can hit 60 mph in under 2 seconds

Much like the rest of the automotive world, supercars are going electric.

The Pininfarina Battista.
Tim Levin/Insider

 

Meet the $2.2 million Pininfarina Battista.

The Pininfarina Battista.

The Pininfarina Battista.
Tim Levin/Insider

 

It’s the first model from Pininfarina, the legendary Italian firm that’s designed and built cars for other brands like
Ferrari — but never came out with its own vehicle.

The Pininfarina Battista.

The Pininfarina Battista.
Tim Levin/Insider

Automobili Pininfarina is technically separate from Pininfarina, the design house. Both under the umbrella of the Indian automotive giant Mahindra. 

It’s named for the company’s founder, Battista “Pinin” Farina, who always dreamt of producing his own car but never made that a reality.

The Pininfarina Battista.

The Pininfarina Battista.
Tim Levin/Insider

 

Nearly 100 years after Pininfarina began in 1930, the Battista is here. The first two cars were delivered to U.S. customers earlier this month.

The Pininfarina Battista.

The Pininfarina Battista.
Tim Levin/Insider

 

The EV marries monstrous power with otherworldly acceleration and wraps that all up in an elegant, leather-bound package.

The Pininfarina Battista.

The Pininfarina Battista.
Tim Levin/Insider

 

Of course, both of those things are true of the Pininfarina too. The company says it aimed for a more “timeless” design.

The Pininfarina Battista.

The Pininfarina Battista.
Tim Levin/Insider

 

Buyers can customize their Battista in practically endless combinations, the company says.

The Pininfarina Battista.

The Pininfarina Battista.
Tim Levin/Insider

 

And all 150 Battistas will be unique; once a customer chooses a particular configuration of options, it’s removed from the catalog.

The Pininfarina Battista.

The Pininfarina Battista.
TangentVector

 

Walk up to the Battista and you’ll notice it emits a subtle, pulsing grumble.

The Pininfarina Battista.

The Pininfarina Battista.
Tim Levin/Insider

See also  1998 Lamborghini Diablo SV Roadster, a unicorn bull, heads to auction

 

That’s by way of a speaker system, not an engine, of course. And the sound grows more ferocious as you click through the Battista’s drive modes, which range from Calma to Furiosa.

The Pininfarina Battista.

The Pininfarina Battista.
Tim Levin/Insider

 

There’s a performative aspect to the noise as well. Because what’s the point of ripping down
Rodeo Drive in your seven-figure supercar if nobody can hear you coming?

The Pininfarina Battista.

The Pininfarina Battista.
TangentVector

 

Getting inside the Battista isn’t always the most graceful process, as it’s so low to the ground. But anybody who’s buying one is surely better-practiced than I am at that sort of thing.

The Pininfarina Battista.

The Pininfarina Battista.
Tim Levin/Insider

 

In the driver’s seat, you’re hugged tight by plush leather upholstery and surrounded by luxury.

The Pininfarina Battista.

The Pininfarina Battista.
TangentVector

 

The cabin features an interesting mix of exposed
carbon fiber and more refined, high-end materials.

The Pininfarina Battista.

The Pininfarina Battista.
Tim Levin/Insider

 

That reflects Pininfarina’s broader vision of the Battista as a vehicle that pairs raw supercar performance with the comfort of a grand tourer.

The Pininfarina Battista.

The Pininfarina Battista.
TangentVector

 

All the screens and dials are angled toward the driver, creating a cockpit that feels more like a fighter jet than any car.

The Pininfarina Battista.

The Pininfarina Battista.
Tim Levin/Insider

 

The touchscreen on the left controls the seats, steering wheel, and mirrors.

The Pininfarina Battista.

The Pininfarina Battista.
Tim Levin/Insider

 

Since the focus is on driving enjoyment, Pininfarina didn’t want to clutter the driver’s field of vision with too much information.

The Pininfarina Battista.

The Pininfarina Battista.
Tim Levin/Insider

 

The tiny display behind the steering wheel only shows basics like speed and remaining range.

See also  Gas prices take toll on RV owners; sales high as ever

The Pininfarina Battista.

The Pininfarina Battista.
Tim Levin/Insider

 

The milled rotary knobs you use to select drive modes and gears are weighty and turn with a satisfying click.

The Pininfarina Battista.

The Pininfarina Battista.
Tim Levin/Insider

 

The “Top Gun” vibes continue when you find an open section of road and floor it.

The Pininfarina Battista.

The Pininfarina Battista.
Tim Levin/Insider

 

Stomping the throttle in Furiosa mode slams you back into your seat instantly with an absurd and frankly terrifying amount of force.

The Pininfarina Battista.

The Pininfarina Battista.
Tim Levin/Insider

 

You can even see what sort of g-force you’re generating on one of the screens.

The Pininfarina Battista.

The Pininfarina Battista.
Tim Levin/Insider

 

To put some hard numbers to it: The Battista produces an astonishing 1,900 horsepower and 1,725 pound-feet of torque.

The Pininfarina Battista.

The Pininfarina Battista.
TangentVector

 

According to Pininfarina, that makes it the most powerful Italian performance car ever.

The Pininfarina Battista.

The Pininfarina Battista.
TangentVector

 

It uses four motors, one driving each wheel. Electric cars typically have one or two motors.

The Pininfarina Battista.

The Pininfarina Battista.
TangentVector

 

It’ll rocket from a stop to 62 mph in less than two seconds, the company says.

The Pininfarina Battista.

The Pininfarina Battista.
TangentVector

 

Top speed is rated at 217 mph.

The Pininfarina Battista.

The Pininfarina Battista.
Tim Levin/Insider

 

At high speeds, a spoiler deploys for extra downforce.

The Pininfarina Battista.

The Pininfarina Battista.
TangentVector

 

Or you can raise it at the push of a button to impress your friends.

The Pininfarina Battista.

The Pininfarina Battista.
Tim Levin/Insider

 

Power is dialed back considerably in non-Furiosa drive modes, making for a more comfortable driving experience.

The Pininfarina Battista.

The Pininfarina Battista.
Tim Levin/Insider

See also  Elon Musk says 'ESG is the devil' as tobacco firms trounce Tesla in social-responsibility ratings

 

Both the ambient lighting
color and the driving sounds pumped into the cabin change depending on the drive mode selected.

The Pininfarina Battista.

The Pininfarina Battista.
Tim Levin/Insider

 

Pininfarina estimates range at a respectable 300 miles. Expect much less if you push the car hard, which is tough to resist.

The Pininfarina Battista.

The Pininfarina Battista.
Tim Levin/Insider

 

And if you’ve already spent all your hard-earned cash on a Battista, fret not: Charging is free for five years at
ChargePoint stations.

The Pininfarina Battista.

The Pininfarina Battista.
TangentVector