Pininfarina Puro set to be world’s most expensive SUV

Automobili Pininfarina, the Mahindra-owned Italian car design firm, has confirmed it will launch what is likely to become the world’s most expensive SUV before year end.

The car is based on the stunning Pura Vision concept the company showed at last year’s Monterey car week, and styled with the vision of a luxury electric land yacht.

How expensive, you ask? The company’s 1,399kW Battista electric hypercar commands $2.4m (R44m), but company CEO Paolo Dellachà says the more family-friendly Pininfarina SUV could cost about €1m (about R20m), significantly pricier than prestige rivals such as the Rolls-Royce Cullinan and Mercedes-Maybach G650 Landaulet — a few of the most expensive SUVs on sale.

The Puro design is inspired by iconic creations such as the 1947 Cisitalia, Alfa Romeo Superflow IV and Lancia Florida. Dellachà says the company aims for more production numbers than the small-batch Battista, and that the new car will integrate sportiness and functionality.

Dellachà has not confirmed whether the SUV will reach production using electric propulsion. There’s been a contraction in demand for electric vehicles (EVs) and a resurgence in hybrid power globally.

He says the company was founded to address the specific needs of deep-pocketed luxury car owners and collectors who are curious about the levels of power harnessed in electric drive technologies. Dellachà adds that for the future they will be exploring different segments and different technologies.

Personalisation is the most important factor to the company, though. Pininfarina customers are supported by designers to imagine how their car should look, and that it reflects their personality. The company recently launched a Bruce Wayne edition of the Battista.