The ultimate green machine

Michael Jordan has been named as the owner of the first one-off coach-built Battista from Automobili Pininfarina – but does he know he is sitting on Olivenleder?

When Olivenleder? head of sales, Thomas Lamparter , read the news that the owner of the Battista Targamerica, the first one-off coach-built model from Italian carmaker Automobili Pininfarina , had been revealed as US basketballer Michael Jordan, it instantly took him back to his youth. “He was one of my idols, his dunks legendary and probably still unmatched today,” he says. “Just to be sure, I quickly checked with Automobili Pininfarina to confirm: yes, it’s Olivenleder that ‘His Airness’ is now sitting on. From that moment on, I went through the day with a satisfied grin, feeling like I could dunk myself.”

Pininfarina is an Italian car design firm and coachbuilder, founded by Battista "Pinin" Farina in 1930 and has since been run by his son and grandsons, although Indian multinational Mahindra Group acquired 76% stake for €168 million in 2005, and its headquarters are now in Germany. While automotive remains an important sector – building cars for customers including? Ferrari, Alfa Romeo and Maserati – Automobili Pininfarina also designs high-speed trains, buses, yachts and private jets and consults on interior design, architecture and graphic design.?

When Pininfarina presented the Battista Targamerica for the first time at the US-based Monterey Car Week this summer, the identity of the owner was unknown. However, a social media post in October revealed “dear friend” Michael Jordan had placed the order at the car show in 2023. The renowned car collector and NBA star is the first billionaire sporting personality, earning a share of the profit from each Nike Jordan shoe since their launch in the 1980s. A renowned car collector, Mr Jordan already owned a Pininfarina Battista, but wanted to add a new level of personalisation to his next car, rumoured to be worth around $2.5 million.

Seminal moment

Hand-built by the atelier’s artisans in Cambiano, Italy, the car’s body was re-engineering to suit the roofless profile and was inspired by one of the most famous one-off cars designed by Pininfarina – the 1986 Ferrari Testarossa Spider, created for Gianni Agnelli to mark his 20 years as chairman of Fiat. The exterior is delivered in a silver gloss, detailed with blue accents along the bodyside and aero wings in front of the rear wheels.

Battista Targamerica shares the crown as Italy’s fastest road-legal car with the Automobili Pininfarina Battista. It can accelerate from 0-100 km/h in less than two seconds – faster than a Formula 1 car – and has a top speed of more than 300km/h. No more than 150 examples of Battista will be individually hand-crafted at the workshop in Cambiano. Paolo Dellachà, CEO at Automobili Pininfarina, said: “This is a seminal moment, delivering our first coach-built one-off vehicle to a client. Battista Targamerica, like no other vehicle before, demonstrates the infinite possibilities our highly skilled team can design and engineer. Our world-class artisans have delivered something truly special – the first electric open top hypercar designed specifically to a very exacting client’s own specification.”

Olivenleder

Automobili Pininfarina has been working with Olivenleder for many years; the plant-based tanning agent adds sustainability credentials to some of the world’s most sought-after vehicles. It is made from a vegetable concentrate based on an olive leaf extract. Traditionally, Mediterranean farmers have burnt the leaves after harvesting the olives, but Olivenleder provides them with an extra income source. The company is keen to point out it does not see traditional tanning methods as worse – simply that the Olivenleder produces a product of comparable quality with the added benefits of being made from a previously wasted material. The product is not “less harmful” it says, but is 100% #biobased and #circular.

In February, Italy-based leather chemicals group Silvateam bought a majority stake in Wet-Green, developer of the patented Olivenleder technology. Silvateam said the new alliance would be “a new North Star” for sustainable innovation in the leather industry. “This partnership sends a clear signal to the industry: the future lies in sustainable, plant-based solutions,” it commented.

For the Battista Targamerica, Michael Jordan chose supple tan leather, with a black leather steering wheel and dashboard. The headrests are bespoke, featuring an embossed Automobili Pininfarina ‘F’ logo, alongside unique décor and design details.

A bespoke tailored luggage set has also been made, finished in the same tan leather as the upholstery and embossed with a Battista Targamerica silhouette – a reflection of Mr Jordan’s ‘jet-set’ lifestyle and proving how important leather is in imparting luxury at the highest specifications. Does he also know about the Olivenleder process? This part is unclear, but as Mr Lamparter says, “Even if he may not quite know what he’s sitting on… well, it's enough that I know.”

The world’s first coach-built electric hypercar was a star attraction at The Quail, a motorsport gathering during Monterey Car Week in August.?? Credits: Pininfarina

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