Pininfarina is using the Geneva Motor Show to showcase its ‘Sergio’ concept: a one-off barchetta, based on a Ferrari 458 and built to commemorate the achievements of its late chairman.
Pininfarina’s design team has taken the chassis and powertrain from a 458, and cloaked it in a unique, barchetta-style body with no roof or windscreen. Like theother Ferrari to debut at Geneva, a great deal of thought has gone into the aerodynamics; the deflector ahead of the cockpit creates a ‘virtual windscreen’ to protect passengers from buffeting, while the roll bar doubles as a spoiler to create more downforce. Additionally, the dashboard-mounted rear-view mirror is said to divert turbulence away from the occupants.
As arguably the world’s most famous design house, Pininfarina has ensured the car's styling puts form on a par with functionality. All ‘technical’ parts of the design (handles, fins and air intakes) have been confined to the dark areas of the car, leaving the two expansive red surfaces to retain clean, uninterrupted lines and elegant curvature. The latter is said to be inspired by the sports and racing cars of the 1960s; interestingly, the LaFerrari casts a nod to the sports prototypes of the same era – perhaps the two would make for the ideal fantasy pairing in your motor house.
That will have to remain a fantasy, however. While Ferrari plans to make 499 LaFerraris, there are no plans in place to begin small-series production of the Sergio concept. However, we’re sure that if you delivered a 458 to Turin with a blank cheque in the glovebox, the legendary coachbuilder could knock something similar up for you.
| Related Links For information on all the important premieres at Geneva, take a look at our detailed dossier Hundreds of Ferraris, both modern and classic, can be found in the Classic Driver Marketplace |
Text: Joe Breeze(ClassicDriver)
Photos: Pininfarina
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