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Pininifarina Battista – The World’s First Pure Electric Luxury Hyper GT Revealed

Pininifarina Battista – The World's First Pure Electric Luxury Hyper GT Revealed

Pininfarina Battista arrives in 2020 as the most powerful road-legal car ever designed and built in Italy
1,900 hp/ 2,300 Nm torque with zero emissions thrusts Battista to 100 km/h in less than two seconds yet is capable of 450 kms on one charge with a 120 kWh Li-ion battery pack
Paolo Pininfarina says “Battista realises a dream” as his family name adorns the first in a future range of beautiful, innovative, zero-emissions electric cars
Evocative design meets unprecedented performance as Automobili Pininfarina CEO Michael Perschke presents the first car to make the world love electric vehicles
Battista's all-electric powertrain delivers performance unachievable with an ICE powertrain, and an access-all-city-areas ability for future zero emissions zones
PURA design philosophy – Purity, Beauty, Rarity – encapsulates Pininfarina car designs as Automobili Pininfarina Design Director Luca Borgogno channels their spirit into Battista
No more than 150 Battistas will be individually hand-crafted at the Pininfarina SpA atelier in Turin, Italy.
Nearly 90 years of legendary Pininfarina cars referenced in three Battista specifications, united by elegant design and as beautiful as the promise of extreme performance
World-class engineers and designers recruited and team up with leading technology and design partners to deliver a unique performance car
Automobili Pininfarina's sustainability vision highlighted by Battista as an inspiration for EV desirability at the pinnacle of performance and luxury cars
“Race-to-Road” technology transfer is secured through partnership with Mahindra Racing and expert advice from Nick Heidfeld, Peter Tutzer and Rene Wollmann

GENEVA – 20:30 CET, 04 MARCH 2019 A revolution in automotive performance, design and technical collaboration is revealed with the Pininfarina Battista, the world’s first luxury electric hyper performance GT. Delivering on a long-held Pininfarina family dream and a new target of zero emissions with extreme power, the Battista is the first solely Pininfarina-badged car and delivers unprecedented performance. tThe trio of beautiful Battista design models presented as part of the hypercar’s World Premiere in Geneva represent a new pinnacle of desirability for electric cars, stylishly resolving the paradox of beauty and performance in a pure, elegant and timeless Italian design.

When it arrives in 2020, the Battista will be the most powerful car ever designed and built in Italy and it will deliver a level of performance that is unachievable today in any road-legal sports car featuring internal combustion engine technology. Faster than a current Formula 1 race car in its 0 -100 km/h sub-two second sprint, and with 1,900 hp and 2,300 Nm torque on tap, the Battista will combine extreme engineering and technology in a zero emissions package.

The year 2020 is also the 90th anniversary of the legendary Pininfarina SpA design house, which has taken the design brief for the Battista and produced a classic Pininfarina: an elegant form that seamlessly integrates the car’s innovative engineering solutions to deliver unprecedented performance. It is the same design principle of form and function in harmony as seen in classic Pininfarina cars reaching back to the Cisitalia 202 of 1947 and through more than 100 Ferraris, the most recent of which was launched this decade.

The Pininfarina Battista's place in automotive history is defined by its name. It is the first in a range of purely electric, zero-emissions, luxury cars solely branded Pininfarina, delivering on a long-held family dream that has been carried by founder, Battista, his son Sergio, and his grandson, the current Pininfarina SpA Chairman, Paolo.

Never before has a new brand and its first car been launched with such an emotive past, relevance for the present, and potential for the future – the Battista embodies timeless design as a piece of art.

Automobili Pininfarina CEO, Michael Perschke: “This is the most authentic and exciting automotive story imaginable. The Battista is the hypercar of the future, inspired by a legendary past. It combines true inspiration and innovation in its technical achievement and emotional appeal. Electrification unlocks the door to a new level of performance and a zero-emissions future, whilst a passion and respect for automotive history will define how this landmark car looks and feels. We aim for the Battista to be a future classic and automotive icon, writing its own page in automotive history books.”

The ingredients for success reach further than statistics and history. A group of automotive experts, the like of which have never been assembled before for the launch of a new car company, are working for Automobili Pininfarina and partnering with Pininfarina SpA and an enviable list of technology specialists headed by the likes of Rimac and Pirelli. The result is that the Battista will arrive next year having been developed through the expertise and inspiration of a team that have been integral to the launches of cars such as the Bugatti Veyron and Chiron, Ferrari Sergio, Lamborghini Urus, McLaren P1, Mercedes AMG-Project One, Pagani Zonda and Porsche Mission E.

The resulting hypercar will appeal to the world's automotive connoisseurs from a technical and aesthetic standpoint, and also because of its rarity. No more than 150 Battistas will be hand-crafted in Italy and allocated equally between the regions of North America, Europe and Middle East/Asia. Exceptional customer service will be delivered through some of the world’s best luxury car retail specialists, from Los Angeles to London to Tokyo. Plans are in place for the opportunity to fully personalise each car at Pininfarina SpA's Cambiano headquarters.

The Battista will set new standards in performance and desirability for an electric car. It will be the first poster car for the EV-generation and the halo model for a range of luxury electric cars from Automobili Pininfarina. It is more than simply a new car reveal, but a pivotal moment in time for the new automotive environment: the first zero-emissions, Italian luxury car.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS: PININFARINA BATTISTA

All data shown are target estimations and subject to confirmation by manufacturer.

PERFORMANCE

Range
450 km

Acceleration 0-100 km/h
Under 2.0 secs.

Acceleration 0-300 km/h
Under 12.0 secs

Power output
Up to 1,900 hp (1,400 kW)

Max. torque
Up to 2,300 Nm

Top speed
Over 350 km/h

Drive
All-wheel-drive with torque vectoring function

Drive modes
5 different drive modes

Brakes

Type
Carbon-ceramic 6-piston front and rear, 390 mm front / 390 mm rear

Tyres

Supplier
Pirelli Tyre SpA

Type
Bespoke Pirelli P Zero tyre (mounted on a 21-inch rim in an exclusive new design for the Battista show cars)

Body

Structure
Full-carbon fibre monocoque with carbon fibre body panels Aluminium crash structure front and rear

Battery Pack

Layout
T-shaped battery pack in centre tunnel and behind seats

Supplier
Rimac Automobili

Battery energy
120 kWh

Charging

Charging technology
DC fast charging capability

THE PININFARINA BATTISTA: AN INTRODUCTION

The Battista seeks to break new ground in the history of automotive when it arrives in 2020. Named after Battista ‘Pinin’ Farina, who founded the Carrozzeria Pininfarina coachbuilding company in 1930, the all-electric hyper GT will be designed and hand-built in very limited numbers at Pininfarina SpA under the watchful eye of Paolo Pininfarina, Battista’s grandson and current Pininfarina SpA Chairman. The Battista, appropriately enough, will be the most powerful road-legal car ever designed and produced in Italy.

A carbon fibre monocoque chassis and visually stunning carbon fibre body provide the foundation and visual definition for the extreme levels of technology and functional, elegant driver-focused design solutions at the heart of the hypercar.

The result will be staggering performance for a road car: power and torque of 1,900 hp and 2,300 Nm, providing acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h in less than two seconds (faster than a current Formula 1 car), 300 km/h in less than 12 seconds and the ability to achieve a top speed of up to 350 km/h. All with a potential zero-emissions range of up to 450 kilometres and an extreme focus on drivability.

The weight distribution of the T-shaped 120 kWh battery pack is configured to optimise the Battista’s dynamic potential, with four motors independently distributing torque and power to each wheel, delivering all the benefits of modern torque vectoring. Cooling circuits and systems are based around five radiators.

Whilst the car's electronic brain serves up a thrilling new experience in dynamic driving, its braking system offers the back-up to that performance. Massive, carbon-ceramic 6-piston brakes (390 mm at the front and 390 mm at the rear) provide fade-free deceleration and hugely effective brake regeneration to the battery will be engineered into the system. The active rear wing features an air brake function.

The Battista’s suspension is tuned specifically to deliver a thrilling, engaging and yet comfortable dynamic experience. The driver will be able to electronically adjust the dynamic experience through multiple modes tuned to a range of driving scenarios and will also be able to tailor the noise the 1,900 hp car makes – the Battista’s on-board sound programme will focus on using vehicle hardware to generate acoustic entertainment, rather than generate artificial sounds.

Inspired by, and paying homage to, famous Pininfarina designs such as the Cisitalia 202, Ferrari Dino Berlinetta Speciale, Ferrari Modulo, and Sintesi concept cars – each ahead of its time and instantly influential when presented – the Battista will feature classic Pininfarina design cues and a unique blend of beauty and technological innovation in perfect balance. Battista owners are guaranteed..

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GM President of North America Alan Batey is retiring after 40 years

Bill Pugliano | Getty Images
Flags fly outside the General Motors world headquarters building.

General Motors' President of North America Alan Batey plans to retire in 2019 after 40 years at the Detroit automaker, the company said Thursday.

His role will be filled by Barry Engle, who currently runs GM's international business, starting April 1. Engle has been with GM since 2015, beginning his tenure at the automaker as executive vice president and president of South America. he was promoted to head of all GM's international operations in 2017.

Engle has held a variety of positions elsewhere in the automotive industry, including 13 years at Ford, a CEO of an agricultural equipment company, and CEO of an electric vehicle startup called THINK. He was also a Chrysler Plymouth Jeep dealer.

Batey will stay on as an adviser.

Julian Blissett, who is currently executive vice president of GM-SAIC, the automaker's joint partnership with Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation, will become senior vice president of GM International.

Batey has been in his current role since 2014, and has also led Global Chevrolet since 2013. He was vice president of U.S. sales and service from 2012 to 2013, and vice president of U.S. sales and service for Chevrolet from 2010 to 2012. Batey started with GM in 1979 and has held positions around the world, including the United Kingdom, Switzerland, United Arab Emirates, Germany, Netherlands, Korea, and Australia.

Shares of GM were down 1.5 percent on Thursday.

This story is breaking news. Please check back for updates.

Auto loan delinquencies rise as the cost of monthly payments hit record high

Daniel Acker | Bloomberg | Getty Images
A salesman talks to a person in a vehicle at a Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) car dealership in Moline, Illinois.

A growing number of borrowers with auto loans are failing to make their monthly payments, according to Experian.

The credit reporting firm, which tracks millions of auto loans, said Thursday the percentage of auto loans delinquent for more than 60 days inched up in the fourth quarter to 0.78 percent from 0.76 percent the previous year.

“The percentage of delinquencies has trended upward within the last few years,” said Melinda Zabritski, senior director of automotive financial solutions for Experian. “But it is worth noting, the percentages are still well below the high-water mark set in 2009.”

While the delinquency rate is well below the historical average, economists say the uptick adds to concerns Americans may be showing signs of struggling financially. Earlier this month, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York reported that more than 7 million borrowers were at least three months behind on their auto loans at the end of last year — more troubled borrowers than at the end of 2010 when overall delinquency rates were at their worst. The delinquency rates are lower now because the market for auto loans has since grown.

Zabritski says the stats are worth watching, but not yet to the point of serious concern. “It's only natural to see an uptick in automotive delinquent loan volume. It's important to view these trends within the larger industry context,” she said.

Americans are borrowing more money than ever to buy new vehicles, $1.17 billion in the fourth quarter, according to Experian. That's not surprising given that consumers are buying more pickups and SUVs, which carry a higher sticker price than sedans.

The automotive website Edmunds says the average transaction price for a new vehicle, what consumers actually paid dealers, in December hit an all-time high of $37,260, an increase of $6,598 from December 2010. As a result of the higher prices, the average new vehicle auto loan in the fourth quarter climbed more than $600 to $31,722, according to Experian.

Not only are consumers borrowing more to pay for a new vehicle, they are also making higher monthly loan payments. Experian says the average monthly payment for a new vehicle hit a record high of $545, up $30 from a year earlier. That increase is driving up interest in used vehicles, which sell at a far lower price and typically carry a lower monthly payment.

Experian says the average used vehicle loan in the fourth quarter topped $20,000 for the first time, with the average used car having a monthly loan payment of $387.

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France’s Peugeot set to make American return after 30-year absence

Peugeot Automotive

French car brand Peugeot will be making a return to the North American market, parent Groupe PSA announced Tuesday morning, though the exact timing of the relaunch is uncertain and could be pushed out as late as 2026.

Peugeot was one of a number of European brands that pulled out of the American market during a severe industry downturn in the early 1990s, a list that included Fiat before it bought Chrysler and French rival Peugeot. The parent company has been exploring ways to return for several years and has already launched several mobility services ventures in the U.S. Groupe PSA had been exploring which of its various marques would spearhead its return and has settled on the flagship Peugeot.

“This is another step in a multi-step return to the market,” Groupe PSA North America CEO Larry Dominique said in an interview with CNBC.

The exact timing for relaunching Peugeot in the U.S. has yet to be determined, Dominique, a former Nissan executive, emphasized, noting that it could stretch out as late as 2026 though it will more likely happen sooner.

“This is not about speed. It's about getting things right,” Dominique said. “The good news for us is PSA is not dependent on me to sell a single car. The idea is to build the brand the right way.”

The roots of Groupe PSA stretch back 208 years and the company today has operations in a variety of fields, including culinary goods, watches and bicycles, though automobiles constitute the largest source of its 74 billion euros in revenue in 2018.

Groupe PSA sold 4.1 million vehicles in 2018, a 3.8 percent decline, according to the Global Auto Database, positioning it as the world's ninth largest automotive group. The numbers include not only the group's largest brand, Peugeot, but also Citroen, DS and Opel/Vauxhall — the latter purchased from General Motors which has exited the European market.

The Paris-based company first signaled plans to return to the U.S. in April 2016, announcing that it would begin a decade-long effort to begin with a push into mobility services. It said it could take several more years to determine which of the various group car brands would then be re-launched in North America.

Several mobility service ventures are already in operation, including the Free2Move Carsharing service launched in Washington, D.C. late last year. The goal is to roll that out in major cities across the U.S. and Canada over the next few years.

For the time being Free2Go is offering two Chevrolet products, the Chevrolet Equinox SUV and Chevy Cruze sedan, but the goal is to add Peugeot products over the next few years. That is likely to happen even before PSA re-launches its retail sales network, Dominique previously told CNBC, and would serve as a way to gauge consumer reaction to its products.

PSA also is rolling out a service that will allow users of its Free2Move smartphone app to schedule multi-modal travel – everything from bicycle rentals to train tickets and car-sharing. And the group now operates parking service at airports in Los Angeles and other cities allowing customers to rent out their own vehicles while traveling, something known as a peer-to-peer car-sharing service.

Those operations aim to take advantage of what many analysts see as a dramatic shift in personal transportation likely to take place over the coming decade, some experts predicting that millions of Americans may abandon personal vehicle ownership in favor of car and ride-sharing, as well as mass transit.

That could play a major role in shaping the way the Peugeot brand itself comes back to the North American market, said Michelle Krebs, executive automotive analyst with Cox Automotive.

But she cautioned that even then, “It will be no cakewalk. The North American market isn't going to grow a lot.”

Krebs expects that the cars Peugeot brings back to North America will also reflect another major, ongoing shift: the growth of electrification. Most major manufacturers have announced plans to introduce hybrids, plug-ins and pure battery-electric vehicles, or BEVs, to their fleets. Rival Volkswagen AG, for example, expects to have more than 50 different BEVs, as well as dozens of hybrids, on sale by 2025.

While Dominique wouldn't say precisely what approach PSA will take, it has already begun adding electrified models and they are expected to play at least something of a role in the Peugeot brand's American revival.

Ford will stop selling commercial trucks in South America

Source: Ford
A Ford-4000 heavy truck.

Ford will stop selling heavy trucks in South America, a region where the automaker has long struggled.

The second largest U.S. automaker expects to record pretax special item charges of about $460 million as a result.

Ford will stop production at its Sao Bernardo do Campo plant in Brazil this year, and will stop selling the Cargo lineup, F-4000 and F-350 trucks along with the Fiesta compact car once it sells out of its inventories.

The automaker said it is still invested in the region, despite the pullback.

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“Ford is committed to the South American region by building a sustainable and profitable business with strengthened product offerings, outstanding customer experience, and a leaner more agile business model,” said Lyle Watters, president, Ford of South America.

Ford has been taking steps to trim its operations and overhaul its business — a plan that will likely take years and cost $11 billion. The company's international businesses pose a particularly thorny challenge. Rival General Motors has pulled out entirely of some regions where it has not performed well, but Ford's trouble is that many of its businesses around the world are a mixture of good and bad. The company said earlier this year it plans to partner with German automaker Volkswagen on a number of initiatives in Europe, South America, and Africa.

“It positive to see Ford finally beginning to take some long overdue in South America,” said Jon Gabrielsen, an independent auto industry analyst. “I fear it is likely to be too little, too late.”

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