When Automobili Pininfarina announced it delivered a one-off model of its Battista electric hypercar to a then-unnamed buyer late this summer, I ignored the news as it had no bearing on Canadians.
Now, the world’s found out who the buyer is, which suddenly makes this a bit more newsworthy.
Basketball legend Michael Jordan has taken possession of the bespoke Pininfarina Battista Targamerica electric hypercar, the automaker posted on Instagram on Oct. 1.
“Today, we celebrate a truly special moment – the delivery of a bespoke, coach-built Battista, crafted in Italy with passion for a dear friend,” the automaker said in the post.
The initial news release about the car being delivered said this was the first client-comissioned coach-built car from Pininfarina.
“Commissioned by a renowned car collector and existing Battista owner, the design team worked intimately with the client to inspire and create an extensive list of personalisations that help it stand out as a one-off design and technical statement,” the news release said.
Furthermore, the news release pointed out the hand-built car is a complete expression of the owner’s personality, reflecting their individuality and history, their tastes, interests and unique life story.
“This is a seminal moment, delivering our first coach-built one-off vehicle to a client. Battista Targamerica, like no other vehicle before, demonstrates the infinite possibilities our highly skilled team can design and engineer,” said Pininfarina CEO Paolo Dellachà in the release. “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.”
Many of the car’s details were inspired by another one-off car designed by Pininfarina, a special 1986 Ferrari Testarossa Spider, a car defined as a masterpiece of simplicity and elegance.
There is a unique cigar holder and humidor built directly into the cabin between the two seats. There’s also a bespoke aluminum and glass case, which reflects the owner’s lifestyle, Pininfarina said – remember Jordan is known as a cigar smoker. The space can hold up to three cigars, is back-lit and illuminated with colours that correspond with each of the five drive modes selected: green for Calma, Iconica Blu for Pura, orange for Energica, Red for Furiosa and yellow for Carattere.
The name of Targamerica reflects the car’s roofless body style and the country where it will be driven, conceived in collaboration with MJ.
The car was commissioned during the 2023 Monterey Car Week and was displayed at the 2024 event.
The Battista Targamerica pack 1,900 hp, has a top speed of of more than 300 km/h, can accelerate from zero to 100 km/h in less than two seconds and has a driving range of 476 kilometres.
Bringing this story back to the opening sentence, you might ask: what does any of this have to do with Canada? I’m glad you asked. Jordan’s highest scoring game against the Toronto Raptors was in 1996 when he dropped 38 points. He also had a 29-point game against the Vancouver Grizzlies back in 1995.
More information on the Pininfarina Battista is available on the automaker’s website.
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