The car has been designed by Jason Castriota and has been in the works at the Pininfarina garages for the past two years. It is the project ordered by German automotive supplier Brose KG's CEO Michael Stoschek and yes, chances are it will leave the realm of concept car and turn into a very limited production version.
The vehicle uses, as expected, the same engine as the Ferrari F430 Scuderia: a 4.3l V8 which develops 503 bhp. Thanks to the carbon fiber used for its body, the vehicle weighs only 1,240 kg, a figure which is 108 kg lighter than the Scuderia. That, in turn, means the car has a power to weight ration of 413bhp/ton.
The car is still undergoing testing, in the hands of former Formula One driver Tiago Monteiro. The acceleration figures are not yet official, but interior photos show a top speed on the speedometer of 360 km/h (224 mph).
Everybody is hopeful the new Stratos will be ready to put on the good clothes and attend the Paris Auto Show later this year. After that, rumor is Stoschek will allow Pininfarina to manufacture about 20 new Stratos. Even if the undisclosed prices are expected to be high, the interest the car has already stirred might prompt Pininfarina into manufacturing more than the 25 rumored models.
Google News