Italian Automaker Pininfarina’s Future Luxury SUV Will Likely Have Hybrid Power

Italian carmaker Automobili Pininfarina’s next production car, a luxury SUV based on the radical Pura Vision concept shown at the Pebble Beach concours event in California last year, will likely not be a battery EV, but is envisioned with plug-in hybrid power.

“We’re looking at all technologies,” CEO Paolo Dellachà tells Penta . “Our commitment to electric will stay—it’s the future—but we’re also investigating hybrid power.”

The CEO won’t yet comment on which internal-combustion engine might reside under the hood of the new SUV, but he says such a luxury car would ideally have up to 50 miles of EV-only range. “We want to maximise the range, but we also don’t want the battery to take up too much interior space or add too much weight,” he says.

Inside the B95 Gotham.
Pininfarina Photo

The Pura Vision SUV could be toned down by the time it morphs into a production car, but in concept form, it displays a wide range of design innovation—and is as visually striking as the Tesla Cybertruck.

Dellachà has been in the lead role for a year and a half. But before that he was the company’s chief product and engineering officer, deeply involved in the building of the flagship Battista EV, and had previous appointments at Ferrari and Maserati. He is, in short, a very hands-on CEO.

The B95 Gotham: Would Bruce Wayne buy one?
Pininfarina Photo

The brief for the Battista, he says, was “to create the most powerful car ever built, with great handling that ensured it could do more than accelerate in a straight line. Reaching that goal was only possible with an electric powertrain—we showed what the Battista could do with four electric motors.” The US$2.2 million Battista supercar, featuring an electric powertrain developed with Croatia-based Rimac, achieved its brief—with up to 1,900 horsepower on tap.

There’s no date on the SUV yet, and Dellachà declines to comment on how many Battistas have been delivered, but the U.S. remains the company’s biggest market. And Pininfarina should be very visible during Monterey Car Week, with a rally planned that will feature at least 10 of the company’s Battistas (including all five of the special-edition Anniversario anniversary cars).

The Pininfarina B95 Gotham (foreground) complemented by the Tumbler, a Batman movie car.
Pininfarina Photo

On Pininfarina’s stand at the Quail: A Motorsports Gathering on Aug. 16 will be the world debut of a concept for the one-of-a-kind Pininfarina B95 Gotham, one of four cars being built in collaboration with Warner Brothers Discovery Global Consumer Products’ Wayne Enterprises Experience, which develops curated luxury products. Warner Bros. works with DC Entertainment on Batman films, and Dellachà says the B95 Gotham is “something Bruce Wayne [Batman’s civilian persona] would want to have in his garage. It’s as if he were one of our clients asking us to build a unique project.”

The actual finished B95 Gotham, a variation on the open electric €4.4 million (about US$4.8 million) B95 Barchetta shown last year in an edition of 10, will be delivered to a customer by the end of 2025, Dellachà says. The other three cars in the Warner/Bruce Wayne series, all one-offs, are the Battista Gotham, the Battista Dark Knight, and the B95 Dark Knight.

Dellachà says that the creation of unique cars like the Batman-themed vehicles “will always be part of our business model.”

There was a time — not so long ago — when the idea of an indulgent spa day was simply about relaxing massages and therapeutic facials, followed by a five-star lunch and perhaps a dip in a mineral pool. But the health and wellness industry has evolved rapidly, bringing with it an explosion of cutting-edge treatments designed to slow ageing, boost vitality, and extend healthspan.

Cold-water plunge pools, infrared saunas, and float tanks have taken over as the staples of health spas, wellness centres, and high-end gyms. Even real estate developments are tapping into this trend. But now, high-tech longevity treatments — from cryotherapy and IV infusions to genetic testing and advanced cellular therapies — are taking the wellness scene in Australia to unprecedented levels.

A burgeoning market globally, the health and wellness industry is estimated to have been worth more than US$5.6 trillion in 2022. Projections suggest this figure will grow to a staggering $13 trillion by 2031, with Australia steadily catching up to the US and Europe, where longevity treatments are thriving. High-profile figures like Gwyneth Paltrow, Jennifer Aniston, Chris Hemsworth, and even Tom Brady are among the faces championing biohacking and experimental therapies, from stem cell infusions to blood transfusions.

The Rise of Longevity Clinics in Australia
One of the key players in Australia’s emerging longevity scene is Tristan Sternson, founder of Super Young. Sternson’s foray into the world of longevity treatments began as he approached 40 — a milestone that made him reflect on his health. As a former elite athlete, the transition from feeling invincible to feeling vulnerable led him to explore solutions that would help him reclaim vitality.

Tristan Sternson, Nick Bell and Jarrod Kagan from Super Young

Initially frustrated by the lack of accessible health data locally, Sternson turned to overseas clinics for tests and treatments that painted a clearer picture of his biological needs. His experience inspired him to create Super Young, a Melbourne-based clinic offering evidence-based therapies tailored to individual needs. Services include cryotherapy, IV infusions, genetic testing, and biological age assessments. Memberships range from $85–$289 per week, while one-off tests start at $899.

Sternson emphasises the importance of personalised treatments. “I want people to start with the evidence side of it so they can really understand their own body and what treatments will work for them,” he says.

The Science of Longevity Medicine
Dr Karen Coates, an integrative medical doctor and a presenter for The Longevity Project at Gwinganna Lifestyle Retreat, echoes Sternson’s emphasis on personalisation. She explains that longevity isn’t just about living longer but about living better — optimising health today while securing vitality for the future.

“One-size-fits-all approaches don’t apply when it comes to longevity,” says Dr Coates. “It’s about understanding your body’s genetic makeup and adopting personalised strategies to support health and longevity.”

At Gwinganna’s four-night Longevity Project retreat, guests can undergo gene testing, biological age assessments, and learn strategies to bridge the gap between chronological and biological age. Packages for the retreat range from $2915 to $5460.

Biohacking for All Budgets
Not all longevity treatments come with hefty price tags. Health coach Camilla Thompson points out that simple lifestyle adjustments — like cold showers to stimulate circulation or adding Celtic sea salt to water for better hydration — can supplement advanced therapies.

While advanced treatments like stem cell and peptide therapies are yet to gain widespread regulatory approval in Australia, Sternson is optimistic about their future. He envisions a time when longevity centres will be as common as gyms, giving clients the tools to monitor and manage their health with precision.

“What I’d love to see is health insurance companies get on board,” Sternson adds. “If they can give discounts for safe driving based on car data, why not for healthy habits based on glucose monitoring or other health indicators?”

As Australia continues to embrace longevity medicine, it’s clear the industry is poised to reshape not just health and wellness but how Australians approach ageing itself.

Italian Automaker Pininfarina’s Future Luxury SUV Will Likely Have Hybrid Power

As global demand for longevity treatments surges, Australia is fast becoming a player in this lucrative industry.