Automobili Pininfarina debuts Battista Edizione hyper GT dedicated to first F1 champ Nino Farina
Even as it continues its deliveries of its limited edition Battista hyper GT, Automobili Pininfarina is now expanding the variety (and exclusivity) of its all-electric hypercar model while continuing to honor its rich Italian history. During the Goodwood Festival of Speed, the hyper EV developer will unveil a new, ultraexclusive version of the Battista called the Edizione Nino Farina – named after a family member crowned the first-ever Formula 1 champion.
Automobili Pininfarina GmbH is a Munich-based subsidiary of Indian automotive manufacturer Mahindra & Mahindra, who purchased the car-design firm Pininfarina SpA in 2015. Although it is currently a German/Indian company, the automaker’s roots remain deeply ingrained in Italian culture and stem from its origins as Carrozzeria Pininfarina, founded in 1930 by Battista “Pinin” Farina.
The reborn supercar developer did a burnout into relevance in 2018 with the debut of the Battista hyper GT at Monterey Car Week. However, it would take four years before we finally saw the EV named honoring its founder reach series production – and a mere 150 units at that.
Each Battista hyper GT requires 10 weeks to assemble and up to 1,340 hours of handcrafting to deliver one of 128 million possible design configurations to customers, a reason why each Battista is truly one of a kind and why a single EV costs $2.5 million.
As if that wasn’t exclusive enough, Automobili Pininfarina introduced the Battista Anniversario in 2021 – offering the same record-setting performance as the regular old Battista hyper GT but with custom wheels and an exterior painted by hand. Only five of these were made and have already been spoken for. One of which was delivered to a US customer this past fall.
With Battista deliveries taking place around the globe, Automobili Pininfarina is introducing a new limited-edition version, designed as another nod to the Italian racing family that started it all. Meet the Battista Edizione Nino Farina.
Pininfarina’s latest spin on the Battista is a rare Hyper GT
The automaker shared details of its latest hyper GT this afternoon, ahead of its official reveal at the Goodwood Festival of Speed later this week, where it will be driven by former F1 driver and hill-climb champion Nick Heidfeld.
The hyper GT is named after Nino Farina – nephew of Battista “Pinin” Farina and the first-ever F1 world champion in 1950. The company shared that Battista took his 16-year-old nephew to his first-ever race as a passenger, igniting the young man’s flame motor sport competition that would span decades after. Automobili Pininfarina‘s chief design officer, Dave Amantea, spoke to the heritage that went into such a futuristic EV:
This exclusive model pays homage to Nino Farina’s courageous and fearless persona, and his incredible achievements in motorsport. It is our tribute to a family dynasty – to the man who will forever be known as the first driver ever to be crowned a Formula One World Champion and to our founder, the man responsible for igniting his passion for racing.
Each vehicle is a tribute to Nino’s unrivaled history and each one represents a unique moment in his life, which was truly remarkable. We have taken inspiration from these moments to create a vehicle that would be the centre piece of any collection. Its signature Rosso Nino body color has been chosen to evoke memories of the Italian racing red paintwork of the cars in which he enjoyed his greatest victories, while key finishes and design cues sit seamlessly with Battista’s unmistakable design.
The exterior color is a bespoke deep red called “Rosso Nino” – a tribute to the vehicles Nino Farina drove during his race career. The lower body is finished in “Bianco Sestriere” and “Iconica Blu.”
As you can see in the images above, the interior features a bespoke two-tone theme, featuring black and beige (sustainable) leather and Rosso Nino on the back. You’ll also notice Iconica Blu seat belts and an exposed carbon steering wheel featuring Farina’s etched signature.
Like its Battista siblings, the Edizione Nino Farina delivers hyper GT performance, thanks to a 120 kWh lithium ion battery, four independent electric motors, and full torque vectoring. Here are some of its specs – many of which were previously world records until the Rimac Nevera came out to play:
- 0-60 mph in 1.79s
- 0-100km/h in 1.86s
- 0-120mph in 4.49s
- 0-200 km/h in 4.79 seconds.
- 1,900 hp (1,400 kW)
- 2,340 Nm of torque
- Up to 476 km range (296 miles WLTP combined, 300 miles EPA)
- Five dynamic driving modes: Calma, Pura, Energica, Furiosa and Carattere
Like the Battista Anniversario, Automobili Pininfarina says production of the new Edizione Nino Farina hyper GT will be limited to just five units. Each EV will feature an aluminum door plate, marking one of five career landmarks in Nino’s motor sport tenure:
- Nino’s date and place of birth (1906 in Turin)
- First-ever F1 pole position and race victory at the 1950 British Grand Prix
- Nino’s second victory in 1950 at the Swiss Grand Prix
- The third and final victory in 1950, at the Italian Grand Prix
- 1950 F1 world championship victory
No mention of price yet, but considering the Anniversarios went for at least $3 million a piece, we’d expect the latest limited edition hyper GT to sell for that – if not more. Keep an eye out for the new Battista Edizione Nino Farina at Goodwood July 13-16. Hoping to catch some video of it in action.
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The world’s leading electric vehicle (EV) maker is rapidly expanding overseas. After taking control of vehicle sales in Germany last year, BYD is about to do the same in another key overseas EV market.
BYD to take control of EV distribution in Australia
Last August, BYD reached an agreement with Heden Mobility Group to acquire Heden Electric, which was responsible for importing its vehicles and spare parts for sale in Germany.
The move gives BYD more control over pricing and other areas of distribution as it expands the brand overseas. By taking over control, the company can sell its vehicles directly to buyers. And, it can also set prices.
According to EVDirect, BYD’s official distributor in Australia, the company is preparing for a similar move in the region. Luke Todd, founder and chairman of EVDirect, said the takeover would help unlock BYD’s potential in Australia.
Todd said the first phase was proving that the “BYD brand would thrive here,” and the next phase will make EV ownership “easier and more accessible than ever.”
Since launching its first vehicle, the Atto 3 SUV, in 2022, BYD has become one of the fastest-growing car brands in Australia.
BYD now offers a complete lineup of six vehicles, ranging from the low-cost Dolphin and Atto 3 to mid-size SUVs (Sealion 6 and 7), electric sedans (Seal), and even a pickup (Shark 6).
Earlier this year, the company introduced a new entry-level “Essentials” trim, slashing prices across its entire lineup.
According to TheDriven, BYD has three of the top 10 best-selling electric vehicles (EVs) in Australia as of April. The Sealion 7, launched in just February, placed fifth with 1,473 units sold, trailing the Tesla Model Y (3,394), Model 3 (2,266), MG4 (1,698), and Kia EV5 (1,509).
BYD’s Atto 3 took sixth (956) while the Seal (637) and Dolphin (431) placed ninth and 14th through the first four months of 2025, respectively.
Taking control of distribution is expected to help improve service for current BYD drivers and will likely boost EV adoption in Australia.
Electrek’s Take
BYD’s sales are surging in China and overseas. In April, BYD sold more electric vehicles (EVs) in Europe than Tesla for the first time. Now, it’s launching its best-selling and most affordable electric car, the Dolphin Surf (also known as the Seagull EV in China).
S&P Global Mobility is calling for BYD to more than double its sales in Europe this year to around 186,000 units.
And clearly it’s not just Europe. BYD is quickly establishing its presence in major overseas markets, including Mexico, Brazil, Thailand, Australia, New Zealand, and many others.
With local production coming online and new, custom-tailored vehicles launching, BYD is laying the groundwork to continue gaining global market share over the next few years as the industry shifts toward electric vehicles. And that’s not even scratching the surface, with BYD’s new battery and ultra-fast EV charging technology set to change the game.
Source: EVDirect, TheDriven
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Environment
RJ Scaringe teases R2’s rear suspension, telling followers the new Rivian EV is ‘sooo good’
Less than a week after sending a beautifully wrapped fleet of R2 validation prototypes out into the wild, Rivian founder and CEO has shared more of the design work at HQ, including a look at the EV’s multi-link rear suspension.
We will be able to assemble the upcoming Rivian R2 EV with our mind’s eye if RJ Scaringe keeps posting updates with images of key components.
Over the past month, Rivian founder and CEO RJ Scaringe has shared several social media posts centered around Rivian’s next flagship EV model, the R2, which is scheduled to hit the market next year.
Recent posts included two looks at Rivian’s Maximus Drive Unit that will power the R2s, the EV’s body harness, and a fleet of validation models assembled on a pilot line at Rivian’s Normal, Illinois, production facility (complete with some fantastic “validation-only” wheels).
Rivian’s company account has also joined the social media onslaught, sharing a video last week of Senior Director of Exterior Design Jonathan Szczupak walking through the unique wraps on the R2 validation EVs before they left Normal, Illinois, for real-world testing.
Today’s post from RJ isn’t as visually pleasing as last week’s camouflage wraps, but it is exciting nonetheless, especially for the CEO behind the new model.
RJ “can’t wait” for people to drive the new Rivian R2 EV
RJ posted the two images above, showcasing the R2’s multi-link rear suspension alongside a brief caption:
The R2 multi-link rear suspension includes 5 stamped steel links and uses an isolated rear subframe to deliver incredible ride quality and handling, while achieving our optimized cost structure. Our “starfish” forged aluminum rear knuckle integrates bushings for each of the 5 rear suspension links to reduce unsprung mass to support enhanced ride quality.
The Rivian founder always does an excellent job of breaking down exactly what is in each photo he posts and explaining the design benefits of said component in a more easily digestible way, especially if you’re not a “gear head.”
What is just as exciting is RJ’s continued enthusiasm for the upcoming Rivian R2 EV. Its hype train is chugging at full speed, and on paper, it has the makings to skyrocket Rivian’s sales reports and set the company up for a nice run of additional models, like the R3 and R3X.
At the end of RJ’s post, he shared this excitement:
Can’t wait for folks to get to drive R2 — it’s sooo good!!
Of course, Rivian’s founder is going to say the R2 is good, but when RJ says it, it’s easy to genuinely believe him. Everything Scaringe and Rivian have shown us of the R2 so far has been impressive, so it’s not unreasonable to think that this new EV won’t just be “so good,” it could be utterly amazing.
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Floating offshore wind tech company Aikido is working with Norway’s Marin Energy Test Centre (METCentre) to launch a massive 15-megawatt (MW) demonstration project called AO60. Scheduled for deployment in 2027 off the coast of Haugesund, AO60 will be one of the largest floating wind platforms ever built.
The METCentre has a track record of supporting pioneering floating wind projects, including the world’s first floating turbine deployed by Equinor (then Statoil) in 2009. Now, it’s getting ready to host another first: Aikido’s innovative platform is designed to slash costs and make assembly and deployment a whole lot faster and simpler.
At the heart of Aikido’s approach is its compact, modular platform made up of 13 steel components – columns and trusses – that can be fabricated at standard offshore wind or steel manufacturing sites. Thanks to a clever “flat-pack” design and pin-joint connections that act like hinges, the platform can fold up to take up just one-third of the space of conventional designs during transport.
There’s no heavy-duty welding or painting during assembly, and the platform can be completed in days, not months. Once it’s in the water, a ballasting process unfolds the structure into its full size, ready to go.
It can also use Norway’s existing ports, infrastructure, and vessels, keeping things local, faster, and cheaper.
“We are proud to announce our partnership with the METCentre,” said Aikido CEO Sam Kanner. “This project will show how Aikido can leverage existing infrastructure and vessels to reduce risks and accelerate the deployment of floating wind in Norway and around the world.”
METCentre director Cecilia Girard-Vika added, “This project offers valuable industry experience and supports the development of a full-scale, innovative, and cost-effective solution. We are very excited to welcome Aikido to our site in Norway and connect them with Norway’s strong floating offshore wind supply chain.”
Read more: The world’s largest single-capacity floating wind platform has two turbines
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