Pininfarina Battista Novantacinque: The Grand Finale of an Electric Masterpiece
Pininfarina’s journey from a boutique Italian design house crafting the silhouettes of legendary Ferraris and Alfa Romeos to a fully-fledged hypercar manufacturer finds its ultimate expression in the Battista Novantacinque. This one-of-a-kind creation was built not just to celebrate the 95th anniversary of the brand but to mark the completion of one of the most astonishing electric vehicles ever made. It is more than a final edition; it’s a monument, a crystallization of nearly a century of automotive passion, vision, and avant-garde engineering. The name “Novantacinque,” meaning ninety-five in Italian, directly pays homage to the founding year of the company in 1930 and ties it to the present through the medium of carbon fiber, electricity, and high fashion. Revealed at the Museo Nazionale dell’Automobile in Turin, this one-off Battista is intended to close the curtain on the hypercar’s 150-unit production run in dramatic style. And dramatic it is—from the exquisite surface treatment to the highest level of personalization ever applied to a Battista. For those in tune with automotive design lineage, the Novantacinque is not just a bespoke performance vehicle—it is an emblem of Italian legacy that stretches from Carrozzeria roots to full-blown electric propulsion excellence.
Visual Theater: Carbon, Rosso, and Liquid Gold
The Battista Novantacinque’s visual impact is nothing short of theatrical. Its entire body is formed from exposed carbon fiber, yet instead of hiding this material’s raw mechanical beauty, Pininfarina has drenched it in Tinted Rosso Gloss, a deep, candy-like red that gives the car an almost jewel-like appearance under natural light. This color is not simply a shade—it’s an emotion. Every curve shimmers, every crease glows, and with every glance, the Novantacinque reveals a new layer of complexity and light refraction. The carbon weave still shows beneath the tinted red, lending a high-tech, race-bred soul to the overt luxury. Adding to the sophistication are delicate Vision Gold accents that line the lower body and aerodynamic surfaces. These golden lines are tastefully executed, not flamboyant, and serve to guide the eye along the car’s magnificent proportions. The split active rear wing—which not only increases downforce but also adds visual drama—is personalized with gold details on the underside and a script of “Novantacinque” across the carbon surface, visible only when deployed. It is the kind of flourish you’d expect in haute couture—hidden from most, but unforgettable when revealed. The wheels are the Iconico five-spoke design, done in a precision-polished silver tone with contrasting black and anodized aluminum inserts. Red brake calipers peek from behind, providing just enough menace to remind you this beauty can also bite. Everything about the Novantacinque’s exterior whispers of timeless Italian elegance while shouting electrified power through form and silhouette.
An Interior Cloaked in Alcantara, Leather, and Symbolism
If the exterior commands awe, the interior invites reverence. Open the butterfly doors and you enter a sanctuary of black Alcantara and premium black leather, stitched together with duotone thread in black and gold. The seats—Pilota sport seats specifically designed for the Battista—are sculpted for grand touring comfort while capable of holding occupants steady during high-g-force acceleration. The tactile experience here is paramount; touchpoints such as the climate controls, rotary drive selectors, and toggle switches are machined from brushed and anodized aluminum with diamond-cut detailing, giving each turn or press a sense of mechanical purpose. There is symbolism everywhere. The kneepads carry gold-embroidered “95” insignias, while the custom chassis plaque inside the cabin identifies this car as a one-of-one masterpiece. The door sills also receive engraved and illuminated trim pieces to celebrate this final Battista's uniqueness. The driver sits before a tri-screen layout that wraps around the cockpit like a command center: a main interface screen in the middle, a speed and navigation unit on the left, and an auxiliary control panel on the right. The graphics are all customized to reflect the Novantacinque’s color palette, and the UI is both intuitive and responsive—rare for a car in this category. There’s no unnecessary digital clutter here. Everything is tailored, luxurious, and centered around the driver’s emotional connection to the car. The interior of the Novantacinque is not a tech demo; it is a wearable Italian suit made of electronics and ergonomics.
Electrified by Rimac: Unleashing the Fury of Four Motors
Underneath its breathtaking body lies the same ferocious powertrain used in the standard Battista—a mechanical symphony developed in partnership with Rimac, the Croatian EV hypercar pioneer. The system is composed of four individual electric motors, one for each wheel, which together generate an astonishing 1,874 horsepower and 1,696 lb-ft of torque. These are not just bragging rights—they are real-world, proven figures that launch the Novantacinque into another dimension of performance. Acceleration is brutal in its effectiveness. The car can rocket from 0 to 62 mph in 1.86 seconds, reach 124 mph in under 4.75 seconds, and top out at 217 mph. But more than the straight-line speed, it’s the control that impresses. With advanced torque vectoring, the Battista can manage traction and power distribution dynamically, allowing it to corner with the agility of a much lighter machine. The all-wheel-drive layout, coupled with performance-tuned suspension and carbon-ceramic brakes, makes the driving experience incredibly precise and engaging. The battery pack is a 120 kWh T-shaped lithium-ion unit, cleverly packaged down the spine of the car and behind the seats. It provides an estimated 310-mile range (WLTP), offering both staggering power and grand touring capability in a single package. And thanks to DC fast charging, it can be replenished up to 80% in less than 30 minutes, assuming ideal conditions. For a car that rivals Bugatti in terms of road presence and performance, the Battista's drivability and usability are nothing short of revolutionary.
Cambiano’s Crown Jewel: A Singular Production Ritual
Every Battista—including the Novantacinque—is handcrafted in Cambiano, Italy, where the soul of Pininfarina’s coachbuilding tradition still lingers in every carbon panel and stitch of leather. The production process is intimate and patient, requiring roughly 10 weeks per vehicle, with each car undergoing an intensive customization and quality control process. But for the Novantacinque, this ritual becomes a form of art. It is the final Battista. The end of an era. And the level of detail, oversight, and personalization involved reflects its singular importance. Just 150 units of the Battista will ever exist, and this one, with its unique color, name, interior finish, and bespoke badging, will stand apart even among the elite. It is not available for public sale. It was commissioned privately, and while pricing has not been disclosed, estimates suggest it costs well north of $3.5 million, with customization options pushing it closer to $4 million. But even at that price, it’s more than a car—it’s a museum piece that just happens to go 0–60 faster than gravity can drop a rock.
Symbol and Statement: The Novantacinque’s Deeper Meaning
The Battista Novantacinque is more than just the final version of an elite hypercar. It is a full-circle moment. It’s the realization of a dream imagined by Battista “Pinin” Farina nearly a century ago—an Italian-made car bearing his name and powered not by pistons, but by electrons. This vehicle is not simply a statement of performance or sustainability; it is a design manifesto, a cultural artifact, and a love letter to the idea that beauty still matters—even in a digitized, decarbonized future. As regulations increasingly push automakers toward anonymity and compliance, the Novantacinque arrives as a thunderous reminder that the car can still be a canvas. It proves that electric cars can be sensual, luxurious, individualized, and explosively fast without sacrificing their soul. It will sit in collections, grace concours lawns, and one day occupy a space in design textbooks—not because of its speed, but because of its spirit.
Specifications Summary
At the heart of the Pininfarina Battista Novantacinque lies an extraordinary powertrain made up of four independent electric motors, one at each wheel, delivering a staggering 1,874 horsepower and an immense 1,696 lb-ft of torque. This advanced all-wheel-drive setup allows the hypercar to catapult from 0 to 62 mph in just 1.86 seconds, making it one of the fastest-accelerating road-legal cars ever built, with a top speed that reaches 217 mph. Power is drawn from a sophisticated 120 kWh lithium-ion battery pack, enabling an impressive WLTP-certified range of 310 miles on a full charge. When using a high-speed DC fast charger, the battery can be replenished to 80% in approximately 30 minutes, offering convenience to match its speed. The Novantacinque is a one-off creation, uniquely crafted to commemorate Pininfarina’s 95th anniversary, and forms the pinnacle of the limited 150-unit Battista production run. Estimated to cost between $3.5 million and $4 million, this hand-assembled masterpiece is built with painstaking attention to detail in Cambiano, Italy, where the legacy of Italian coachbuilding continues to thrive through pure electric innovation.
Final Thoughts: A Hypercar Written in History
With the Pininfarina Battista Novantacinque, we witness not just the end of a production run but the elevation of automotive design to its highest form. This is a car that bridges generations, unites past and future, and does so with the kind of flair that only Italy can provide. It is a celebration of 95 years of Pininfarina’s pursuit of beauty, now electrified and distilled into one perfect form. Owning the Novantacinque is not about collecting horsepower. It is about possessing a piece of narrative. This is not a car to be driven daily. It’s a car to be remembered eternally.
