With the combined racing pedigree of F1 world champion and two-time Indy 500 winner Emmerson Fittipaldi, the racecar engineering of HWA AG — the builders of Mercedes-AMG’s DTM racecars — and the styling abilities of legendary design house, Pininfarina, the trio have brought out a truly audacious track toy; the Fittipaldi EF7 Vision Gran Turismo.
We’ve been teased about this car for months; finally we have the full picture now that the Fittipaldi EF7 Vision Gran Turismo made its debut at the Geneva Motor Show. It is aimed exclusively for use at the track, and at those with a big enough wallet, but doesn’t require drivers to have a racing background as its technical details would have you believe.
The car’s architecture is a carbon-fiber monocoque, which would be “good enough” for most manufacturers in terms of safety, but Pininfarina and HWA AG went further and exceeded FIA safety standards by integrating a full roll cage, race grade crash elements in the front, rear and sides, and added a set of tailor-made, one-piece, fixed racing seats with six-point racing harnesses.
Inside the cabin, besides the pure-bred racing seats, both the steering column and pedal box can be adjusted to fit each customer perfectly. The square, Alcantara-wrapped racing steering wheel with integrated shift paddles features a quick release coupling that lets drivers enter and exit the EF7 with ease. The dash is equipped with a digital racing display that relates all the car’s pertinent information and instead of a rearview mirror, like most GTE racecars, the EF7 makes use of a rearview camera.
Underneath the EF7’s carbon exterior is a fully race-prepped chassis built by HWA AG. This includes double wishbone variable race suspension with adjustable anti-roll bars, a set of steel ventilated brakes, a set of variable traction control, and ABS systems.
The exterior of the car also features polycarbonate windows to help reduce the car’s total weight to just 2,205 pounds. It has an integrated adjustable rear wing and front diffusor that help keep the car planted through turns. However, the party piece to this already spectacular track-toy is its race-prepped engine — a mid-mounted dry-sump 4.8-liter naturally aspirated V-8. HWA AG developed the exclusive motor to rev up to 9,000 rpm and deliver a staggering 600 horsepower and boast 376 lb-ft of torque. The engine is coupled to a six-speed sequential gearbox and a 2-way mechanical limited slip differential.
“I have tried for years to explain to others what it truly feels like to be behind the steering wheel of a championship racecar. There is adrenaline and elation all rolled into an awe-inspiring inner fulfillment that leaves you craving for more. This is what our dream team created in the EF7 Vision Gran Turismo by Pininfarina,” said Fittipaldi in a statement. Adding, “Together we have built the Fittipaldi EF7 Vision Gran Turismo by Pininfarina enabling lady and gentlemen drivers around the world to truly experience a new level of racing euphoria and passion and push beyond their limits on the most prestigious race circuits worldwide.”
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