Saar: The company’s first project will be a full-blown hypercar. Launch due in 2020.

Say hello to a brand new luxury EV marque – Automobili Pininfarina. Yes, it is owned by homegrown automaker Mahindra and no it won’t be producing any mainstream EVs. At least not in the near future. What it will be working on though, or should we say has been working on, is a full-blown all-electric hypercar as its first project. Watch out Rimac Concept Two, NIO EP9 and the Tesla Roadster, because this Indo-Italian baby will be delivering a hammer-blow to your world.

Automobili Pininfarina, at its own launch event in Rome, confirmed that this hypercar will launch in 2020. It will showcase the design prowess of the legendary Italian brand Pininfarina and house the EV (electric vehicle) know-how from Mahindra, a company that has gained a lot of experience from the world of Formula E.

At the launch event, Paolo Pininfarina, chairman, Pininfarina SpA, said, “We are pleased to welcome the new company, Automobili Pininfarina which represents an additional client for Pininfarina SpA, joining the list of the many prestigious car makers for which we will be designing cars in the future. This project helps me and my family to realize my grandfather’s dream of seeing outstanding innovative cars solely branded Pininfarina on the roads.”

Anand Mahindra, chairman, Mahindra Group didn’t hold back his take on this partnership. He said Mahindra Group has always bet big on electric vehicles. He added, “They are the future, and when power, beauty and high-end EV technology come together in one car — that will be the perfect luxury vehicle, that will give car lovers the freedom to roam without impacting the planet adversely.”

Pininfarina H2 Speed Concept

Automobili Pininfarina has hired Michael Perschke as the chief executive officer. He is not unknown in the automotive world. In fact, he has over 25 years of experience comprising of various market and director-level roles. He was also part of the Indian automobile industry from 2010 to 2013. During this time, he was employed as the managing director of Audi India and was also a member of the management board of Volkswagen Group Sales India. Michael will be joined by Per Svantesson as the chief operating officer. Per’s work experience includes his times at Volvo Group and NEVS.

Pininfarina H2 Speed Concept

Michael was also at the launch event. Explaining his take on the marriage between Pininfarina SpA and Mahindra, he said, “It’s a powerful combination. I am honoured to lead Automobili Pininfarina and our ambition is to make it a respected and desirable brand recognized by connoisseurs who value design heritage, substance and sustainable high-performance EV technology.”

Pininfarina H2 Speed Concept

For the uninitiated, Pininfarina is one of the most respected car design houses in the world. It has produced some of the most stunning car designs over its existence since 1930. The list is endless but to name a few, the Ferrari Testarossa and 456, Alfa Romeo Brera and GTV, and the Maserati GranTurismo were all designed by Pininfarina. In December 2015, Mahindra Group acquired Pininfarina SpA in a deal worth around EUR 168 million. That’s in excess of Rs 1,351 crore at the current exchange rate.