By Matt DeLorenzo
Quaranta is Italian for 40 and the name of this innovative concept car from ItalDesign Giugiaro, which was built to commemorate Giorgetto Giugiaro’s 40th year of auto design.
It is the first concept car to incorporate Toyota’s Hybrid Synergy Drive in a mid-engine layout. The idea was to create an extreme, but ecological, 4-wheel-drive supercar with a cabin big enough to accommodate three adults plus an infant.
The midship packaging of the hybrid powertrain enabled Giugiaro to create a one-volume, sleek silhouette shape, which is also critical to minimizing aerodynamic drag. In addition to the slick shape of the vehicle itself, the Quaranta incorporates rear aerodynamic flaps inspired by Formula 1. According to Italdesign, this low wind resistance enables the car to reach a top speed of 155 mph and to accelerate from 0 – 100 km/h (0-62 mph) in 4.0 seconds.
The Quaranta is not simply a design exercise, but rather a way of showcasing the many talents of Italdesign Giugiaro. In addition to developing exterior and interior car designs, the Italian firm offers engineering services for chassis, mechanicals and bodywork, as well as research of the latest in automotive technology, as evidenced by the use of a solar panels to provide additional energy for the hybrid powerplant.
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