Monterey Car Week has drawn to a close and there were certainly some impressive reveals, but Automobili Pininfarina’s Targamerica might just take the biscuit. As the world’s first coachbuilt electric hypercar, Automobili Pininfarina is truly living by its ethos of ‘Dream Cars. Made Real.’
First unveiled at The Quail, A Motorsport Gathering, and officially called the Battista Targamerica, this one-of-one electric hypercar’s name references both its open-top body style and the vehicle’s new home, the United States. The first client-commissioned coachbuilt car from Automobili Pininfarina, the vehicle was commissioned by a ‘renowned car collector’ who already owned a Battista — Italy’s most powerful road-legal car.
As a one-of-one coachbuild, the vehicle was hand-built by Automobili Pininfarina’s artisans in Cambiano, Italy, who worked closely in collaboration with Pininfarina SpA. The client was involved throughout the entire process with this vehicle personalized to their exact specifications.
In a romantic coincidence, the Automobili Pininfarina Targamerica was commissioned at last year’s 2023 Monterey Car Week, with its entire development from concept to delivery taking exactly a year.
“This is a seminal moment, delivering our first coach-built one-off vehicle to a client,” said Paolo Dellachà, CEO at Automobili Pininfarina. “Battista Targamerica, like no other vehicle before, demonstrates the infinite possibilities our highly skilled team can design and engineer. Our world-class artisans have delivered something truly special – the first electric open-top hypercar designed specifically to a very exacting client’s own specification.”
Utilizing a bold silver and blue color scheme, the Battista Targamerica’s body was entirely re-engineered in order for it to better suit the roofless profile. By delivering an open-top driving experience, the Automobili Pininfarina Targamerica sets itself apart from the Italian marque’s previous vehicles. However, by utilizing the brand’s acclaimed PURA design philosophy, this one-off coachbuild retains everything that makes it an Automobili Pininfarina.
[See also: Land Rover Unveils Range Rover Sport SV Edition Two]
As this car was commissioned by a true collector of motor vehicles, many of its details were inspired by previous one-off cars that were designed by Pininfarina, none more so than the iconic 1986 Ferrari Testarossa Spider, created for legend of the jet set and Fiat chairman, Gianni Agnelli. The Targamerica’s silver color profile is a clear nod to Agnelli’s unique Ferrari, as are the Targamerica’s horizontal feature lines on the rear luggage opening.
The vehicle includes several entirely unique features that reflect the lifestyle of its owner, inclduing its cigar holder and humidor, which was entirely custom-made and built into the cabin between the car’s two seats. Leaving no stone unturned, the space which is capable of holding three cigars is backlit with colors that match the driving mode selected.
“The Battista Targamerica is at the frontier of design,” said Dave Amantea, chief design officer at Automobili Pininfarina. “An exceptional vehicle that stands at the vanguard of performance and luxury. The gauntlet was thrown down for us to create something that uniquely represents the personality of this vehicle’s owner. This is the service we provide to clients, and the team has more than delivered. The result is our first coach-built one-off vehicle, a Targa that bears the badge of Automobili Pininfarina. Battista Targamerica will forever stand as a one-of-its-kind vehicle and will never be repeated.”
[See also: Convertible Supercars as Good as Their Hardtop Siblings]
Looking at the specifics, the actual color chosen for the Automobili Pininfarina Targamerica is a silver Argento Liquido Gloss, which is accented with Iconica Blu Gloss on the bodyside and aero wings.
The vehicle’s interior is finished in a tan leather, while a contrast black leather was used for the steering wheel and dashboard. Utilizing the same leathers as the interior, a bespoke luggage set was also created and embossed with the Targamerica’s silhouette.
Delivering the same performance as the original Automobili Pininfarina Battista, the Targamerica uses four electric motors to deliver 1,900 hp, and so can travel from 0-62 mph in less than two seconds.
[See also: First Look: McLaren Artura Spider, a Hybrid Super Convertible]