One-off Pininfarina Battista Targamerica unveiled as client-commissioned convertible

3 months ago - 19 August 2024, autoblog
Pininfarina Battista
Pininfarina Battista
It even features an in-car cigar holder

Pininfarina has unveiled the first client-commissioned one-off car it has built since it morphed into a standalone brand. The model is called Battista Targamerica, and it stands out from the electric hypercar it's based on with a removable roof panel that unlocks unlimited headroom.

The first roof-less Battista was commissioned by "a renowned car collector" who already owns a Battista — which is exclusively offered with a fixed roof — and thought "this would be even better if I could take the roof off." While the client's identity hasn't been revealed, Pininfarina notes that the customer worked directly with its design team during nearly every step of the development. Another one-off provided a large dose of inspiration: the 1986 Ferrari Testarossa Spider, which was built to celebrate Gianni Agnelli's 20th year as chairman of Fiat. 

Like the Testarossa Spider, the Battista Targamerica is finished in a relatively subtle shade of silver with blue accents. The slats on the trunk lid echo the ones that were fitted to the Testarossa Spider's engine cover, though Ferrari applied them far more liberally, and the roof has been removed to let more air and more sunshine into the cabin. Going topless required making significant changes to the body, however.

Inside, the Targamerica features tan leather upholstery on the seats, contrasting black leather upholstery on the steering wheel and on the dashboard, as well as a "one of one" plate between the seats. It will be delivered with a tailored luggage set upholstered with the same type of leather that's on the seats, but that's pretty common in this segment of the market. What's not common is a cigar holder and humidor. It's integrated into the space between the two seats (below the commemorative plaque), it's back-lit, and it's big enough to hold three cigars.

Pininfarina will display the Battista Targamerica at The Quail, a Motorsport Gathering, before delivering it to its new owner. Fittingly, the one-off car was commissioned during last year's edition of Monterey Car Week, meaning it took a year to develop and build largely by hand. You might be out of luck if you want one; it doesn't sound like Pininfarina will build a second example. "Battista Targamerica will forever stand as a one-of-its-kind vehicle and will never be repeated," explained Davide Amantea, Pininfarina's chief design officer, in a statement.

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