Homage

The Sergio Pininfarina Car Concept

Pininfarina was the premier coachwork provider to Ferrari in the 1950’s. No other company worked closer with Enzo Ferrari for a standardization of style that reflected speed and elegance. It was an independent Italian design firm specializing in coach building for many luxury car manufactures such Ferrari, Alfa Romeo, Peugeot, Fiat, GM, Lancia and Maserari.
Turin, 5 March 2013, Pininfarina presents the modern interpretation of the 2-seater barchetta. It is named Sergio, after the man who led Pininfarina for 40 years and conceived some of the greatest car legends. 

My father would be proud of this concept car”, said Chairman Paolo Pininfarina, “because it expresses the aesthetic values ​​that always inspired him: the purity of the lines, the harmony of form, and balance. Furthermore, he would be happy with this latest concept on Ferrari base, a brand to which we are related by a history that has helped define the most beautiful cars of all time in an evolution that has lasted 60 years and shows no sign of ending".

"The key is to preserve the heritage of the past by projecting it into the future" (Sergio Pininfarina)

The two-seater barchetta of the future

Returning to the charm of the two-seater Ferrari, compact and very sporty, is moreover, the perfect base for bonding Pininfarina's past to the future. The Sergio's mechanicals are those of the 458 Spider, which remains unchanged in its wheelbase and tracks. The formal interpretation, from which the dynamic, fluid and pure volumes spring, is absolutely free, in the best tradition of that Pininfarina design vision that has produced so many Ferrari-based concept cars recognised over time as masterpieces, such as the Mythos of 1989 and the Rossa of 2000. This approach also reminds us of Pininfarina’s Ferrari-based custom-built cars such as the Testarossa Spider made for Giovanni Agnelli in 1987 or the Ferrari F360 Modena Barchetta in 2000 for Luca Montezemolo.

The result is a modern, organic view of the mid-rear-engined two-seater barchetta. The willingness to revisit volumes and surface treatments in a subliminal way emerges with the Sergio, which evokes the spirit of Pininfarina's best achievements for Ferrari of the ‘60s and ‘70s. A radical object, unique and essential, which rejects the superfluous and is performance-oriented. A real open air car with an explicit nod to racing cars, in the sense that a cupola is not fitted to protect occupants, for which two helmets are provided.

The design theme

The Sergio also expresses an iconicity linked to ‘60s Ferraris proposing bulging and sensual wings inspired by those of sports cars and racing cars of that era, achieved by compacting all volume accessories as much as possible. The extreme lightness of the Sergio, which appears to float with the front up, is a direct result of aerodynamic research. The front semi-floating development with the spoiler under the front, expresses aesthetic force and is at the same time functional for the stabilisation of the aerodynamic load and the heat exchange. The aerodynamic deflector in front of the cockpit also creates a virtual windscreen through the deviation of the air flow, protecting the passengers from turbulence. The roll bar, designed as a wing surface, is perfectly tuned to the evolution of the flow coming from the front, adding a further down force effect. Finally, the rear nolder and the extractor close the design effectively and functionally. Still on the subject of aerodynamics, even the rear-view mirror takes on a fluid form that, given the flow of the front baffle, helps to divert air from the heads of the passengers.

The interior

Since this is a realistic car that could easily be produced in limited series, the Sergio opted for the mechanicals of a completely re-bodied Ferrari 458 spider, maintaining the original technology and its performance. For this reason, the interiors take all the functional parts of existing series (dashboard, seat structure, centre console and steering wheel). The interior is essential and functional and develops as a natural extension of the external surfaces: the black exterior slips into the car and creates the tank where the standard technical components are integrated. Even the engine bonnet descends inside, wrapping round the rear part of seats. The door panels integrate the functions of the handle and armrest and are designed as floating elements separate from the tank. In front of the door panel, two helmets are housed in a small recess of the channel. Made to a specific design of Pininfarina Extra in collaboration with Newmax, the Sergio helmets are personalised with the colour of the car body. 

The Weight is about 1280 kg. Maximum speed: approx 320 km/h.

Acceleration from 0 to 100: less than 3.4 seconds. Power train (original Ferrari 458 Spider): 4499cc V8; Sequential gearbox 7M + RM.

Source: Geneva Press Release 2013. Photos © Pininfarina & © Jul Krabetz