The world’s fastest accelerating production car broke a series of speed records at India’s Natrax test facility in February. The pure-electric Battista by Automobili Pininfarina secured its place as the fastest in the world to complete the ¼ mile and ½ mile sprints, in doing so taking the title of fastest road-legal car ever on Indian soil.
Automobili Pininfarina’s first luxury electric car, Battista, achieved a flurry of remarkable results, including a ¼ mile time of 8.55 seconds and ½ mile result of 13.38 seconds. Hormazd Sorabjee and Renuka Kirpalani joined the Italian brand’s Performance, Test and Validation Team to showcase the exceptional performance. The Battista top speed test was undertaken with Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres fitted, with Sorabjee achieving a top speed of 358.03km/h and Kirpalani achieving 357.10km/h, setting the record for the fastest Indian female driver in the world. Both these top speed records were validated by the Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India (FMSCI). The Battista also registered two new production car world records for sprints over ¼ and ½ mile distances.
Paolo Dellachà, Automobili Pininfarina CEO said: “We were very proud to bring Battista to India for the first time. Collaborative events there with our shareholder Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd were delivered at a significant time for Automobili Pininfarina. In 2022 we began production of Battista at our new Atelier facility in Italy, with deliveries to customers worldwide starting soon after.”
“This year, new Battista owners are excited to explore the unprecedented performance of this design and engineering masterpiece. These speed records – and independent tests – have validated our ambition to create a new generation of hyper and luxury car leading with Battista, whereby electric power delivers performance that is simply unachievable in the world of ICE powertrains.”
“For Hormazd and his team to showcase what is possible with Battista in their hands is hugely important. We conceived Battista as a hyper GT – a special blend of beautiful design and attention to detail synonymous with the Pininfarina brand, allied to extreme electrified performance and a level of vehicle dynamics which sets a new benchmark among hypercars. In these tests Battista has shown that record-breaking performance is there to be enjoyed by every driver on road or track.”
Hormazd Sorabjee was joined by his colleague and experienced road tester Renuka Kirpalani for its debut Indian performance test. The Battista was the undisputed star of the Hyderabad E Motor Show and made its debut at the 2023 Greenko Hyderabad E-Prix, where Sachin Tendulkar was treated to an electrifying lap of the street circuit alongside Mahindra Racing reserve driver Jehan Daruvala. A unique livery adorns the carbonfibre body of the Battista, crafted by Automobili Pininfarina’s talented Colour, Materials and Finishes Design team.
