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Announced in 2018 as the PF0, the Pininfarina Battista hypercar has finally entered series production. The 1,900-plus-horsepower EV is made largely by hand in Cambiano, Italy, and the first of 150 planned examples will be displayed in California during Monterey Car Week next month.
Building a Battista is a Herculean task. The factory is split into 14 zones, and production of a car takes a minimum of 10 weeks. Pininfarina notes that each car is assembled by a team of 10 specialists who invest more than 1,250 hours of work. That's just the standard model; the limited-edition Anniversario model unveiled in 2020 requires an 18-week-long production process and takes about 100 additional hours to build.
First, the rolling chassis (which includes the powertrain, the carbon fiber monocoque, and an array of electrical components) goes through a comprehensive quality check. The body is added when everything checks out, and the car is then measured to ensure that every dimension, parameter, and gap is accurate. Next, the body is removed and sent to the paint shop while a separate team assembles the interior. Other parts (like the underbody panels) are then installed before more quality-related measurements are taken. When the car is complete, it gets blasted with water to trace any and all leaks, evaluated in a light tunnel, wrapped in protective film, and road-tested on different surfaces.
Clients are invited to participate in their Battista's design process. They can work directly with Pininfarina's designers to configure their car by mixing and matching different paint colors and selecting from a long list of upholstery and trim materials. The company notes that there are up to "13.9 quintillion" exterior combinations and 128 million possible interior configurations. Needless to say, the odds of seeing two units of the Battista that are exactly identical will be relatively low. Customers can also stop by the factory to see their car as it's being built.
Like other hypercar manufacturers, Pininfarina has trained a team of so-called flying doctors whose job is to diagnose and repair cars regardless of where they're located. Interestingly, buyers have three service plans to choose from, including one called Eterna that includes a full replacement body that's painted at the time of production. This should make it easier to replace, say, the hood in 15 years.
Pininfarina will begin delivering the Battista in the summer of 2022. Pricing starts at $2.5 million.
I say this, at the outset, I am guilty of ghosting and long before the term was even coined. So, with that confession, I also declare my bias for ghosting.Is it cruel? Is it unkind? Does it inflict pain? I guess so. But so is not returning someone’s feelings for you. But should that be classified as a crime? Probably not.People ghost for a variety of reasons but the critics have put it down largely to a lack of courage to end things. I can’t disagree.Personally, what propels me to ghost is the p
HEADS of traffic authorities in the cities of Lapu-Lapu, Mandaue, Cebu and Talisay met on Friday, July 29, 2022 to discuss how they can implement a coordinated approach when it comes to managing traffic in the cities that are interconnected to each other.Present in the meeting were Paul Gotiong, executive director of the Cebu City Transportation Office; Rico Rey Francis Holganza, chairman of Cebu City Traffic Operations Management Board; Edwin Jumao-as, executive director of Traffic Enforcement
UP TO P1.5 million worth of suspected shabu was confiscated during a buy-bust in Barangay Tanke, Talisay City, southern Cebu, past 10 p.m. on Friday, July 29, 2022.Operatives of Talisay City’s Drug Enforcement Unit arrested Jedy “Judy” Selitorio, 23, of Sitio Alaska, Barangay Mambaling in Cebu City.Selitorio yielded 230 grams of alleged shabu with a street value of P1.5 million.Lt. Col. Randy Caballes, chief of the Talisay City Police Station, said they monitored Selitorio’s illegal activities f
Social media users are sharing an image of what appears to be a Sky News article presenting vaccines as a solution to the climate crisis. But the photo is manipulated; the British broadcaster said it never published the story -- and there is no evidence any other news sites have, either."UK heatwave: Vaccines could be the way to battle the climate crises!" says a purported Sky News headline pictured in a July 18, 2022 Facebook post.The text continues: "Getting your vaccine for the new Centurion
During the nationwide lockdown, most people discovered new hobbies and unlocked new skills.Some rekindled their love for homemaking, gardening, and being a handyman to keep them sane during those days. Others were even able to start home-based businesses, offering homemade and handcrafted products.While almost everyone was busy being homemakers, a 28-year-old graphic designer was busy mastering the art of tattooing.Vern Liane Dela Calzada, is not your typical tattoo artist. Unlike most tattoo ar
BANK of Commerce (BankCom), the banking arm of San Miguel Corp., successfully listed its maiden issuance of P7.5 billion two-year Series A Bonds on the Philippine Dealing & Exchange Corp. (PDEx), with aggregate orderbook exceeding the original target issue size by more than three times. The strong demand prompted BankCom to increase its issue size from the original P3 billion to P7.5 billion and end the offer period on July 12, 2022, ten days ahead of the original closing date.
AS WITH the coronavirus disease (Covid-19), physical distancing, regular handwashing and staying home when sick are just among the things the public can do to help prevent the spread of Monkeypox, the Department of Health in Central Visayas (DOH 7) said.Early detection and reporting of suspected cases to doctors are also crucial, according to health officials.DOH 7 Direcror Jaime Bernadas reassured the public that it has already intensified its surveillance activities for Monkeypox as early as M
A MAN accused of rape was nabbed by the Mandaue City police after almost five years in hiding.Major Romeo Durano Caacoy Jr. of the Mandaue City Police Office Station 2 who headed the investigation, identified the suspect as Tony, 32, of Poblacion Occidental, Consolacion town in northern Cebu.Caacoy told SunStar Cebu on Friday, July 29, 2022, that one of suspect's relatives lodged a complaint against him in 2016 for rape.The suspect was arrested in his residence in Sitio Pandayan on Monday, July
UNION Bank of the Philippines registered a net income of P6.1 billion for the first six months of 2022. This is 27 percent lower year-on-year due to extraordinary trading gains recorded in the same period last year. Quarter-on-quarter, net income rose 32 percent to P3.5 billion in the second quarter of 2022 from P2.6 billion in the first quarter of 2022. The bank’s earnings performance translates to a return on beginning equity of 10.7 percent.As of end-June 2022, total assets stood at P875 bill
THE Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) is expecting July inflation to further quicken with the upper-end of its forecast range seen to surpass last month’s print.In its month-ahead forecast, the central bank said July inflation — the rate of increase in the prices of goods and services — was projected to settle within the range of 5.6 percent to 6.4 percent.The BSP’s upper-end forecast is faster than the 6.1 percent inflation recorded in June, the fastest since the 6.9 percent recorded in October
THE Asturias Corn Ranchers picked up their first win in the Pilipinas Super League 21-Under VisMin Leg in style, coming all the way back from a huge 27-point deficit to stun the Bogo City Bugoys, 77-71, on Saturday night at the Lawaan 1 gym in Talisay City.The Bogoys were hellbent on getting their first win of the season and led by 15 after the first canto, 26-11. Bogo City kept the pressure on and extended their lead to 27, 40-13, after a layup by Burj Lapu-os.Bogo City was still up by 24, 62-3
THE Lapu-Lapu City Government is set to deploy mobile classrooms intended for those who stopped attending school, particularly amid the coronavirus disease (Covid- 19) pandemic.Mayor Junard “Ahong” Chan revealed this after his meeting with members of the city’s Local School Board (LSB) on Thursday, July 28, 2022.Chan said the city government already purchased three tricycle-type vehicles that would serve as mobile classrooms.These vehicles will be equipped with LED television sets and seats.Chan
AT LEAST three people were killed in a road accident after a motorcycle-for-hire accidentally rammed a passenger bus in Barangay Poog, Toledo City on Thursday evening, July 28, 2022.Police identified the fatalities as Benjamin Aria Pracuelles, 61, a habal-habal (motorcycle-for-hire) driver from Barangay Bunga, Toledo City and his passengers Maricel Aliganga Canoy, 40, and Marina Son Villacencio, 53, both manicurists from Barangay Poog.Staff Sgt. Nicanor Goc-ong of the Toledo Police Station said
OVER 166,000 individuals from Cebu City have already received their first Covid-19 booster shot.Data from the Cebu City Health Department revealed that the 166,241 individuals who got their first booster shot were part of the 848,708 city residents who already completed the first two Covid-19 vaccine doses provided during the beginning of the Covid vaccination campaign.Aside from those who got their first booster, around 13,450 people living in the city were able to secure their second booster s
PERISHABLE goods provided by the Cebu Provincial Government were reportedly left to expire in Cordova’s evacuation center in Barangay Gabi.This was what Cordova Mayor Cesar “Didoy” Suan disclosed after he conducted an ocular inspection at the Cordova Evacuation Center on Thursday, July 28, 2022.Suan said he has ordered an investigation to determine why the piles of instant noodles, rice, milk and coffee were left stockpiled and eventually to expire there.“Sakit pamalandongon nga wala kini mahata
THE Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) on Friday announced that it is increasing the limit for dialysis coverage from 90 to 144 sessions, which can be availed of until the end of the year.In an advisory, PhilHealth said its board of directors recently approved an increase in hemodialysis coverage sessions.This can be used by hemodialysis patients until December 31, 2022.“PhilHealth will immediately issue the necessary guidelines through a circular,” the state health insurer noted.“Fo
The first time Julianna Peña and Amanda Nunes met, the latter was the toast of the MMA world, seemingly invincible and unstoppable, especially after demolishing Ronda Rousey and rattling off 7 straight defenses against elite competition, including victories over Holly Holm and the formidable Cris Cyborg.But because anything can happen in the MMA world, it just happened.Peña shocked the world and submitted Nunes via rear naked choke at UFC 269.UFC 277. At UFC 277, the tables have turned and Nunez
A NINE-YEAR-OLD girl with disability died after a fire razed her family’s house in Purok Mangga, Barangay Bagalnga in the town of Compostela, northern Cebu on Saturday morning, July 30, 2022.The fatality, identified as Quenerich Sotto, was left alone inside the room of their house when the fire broke out, according to investigator Staff Sergeant Daryl Rondina of the Compostela Police Station.Rondina said the girl’s mother, Xyril, went to her cousin’s house, some 50 meters away from the Sottos’ h
AN official of the Department of Health in Central Visayas (DOH 7) has reassured the public that it has already activated and intensified its surveillance activity for monkeypox as early as May this year.In an advisory on Saturday, July 30, 2022, DOH 7 Director Jaime Bernadas felt the need to reassure the public after the first case of Monkeypox in the Philippines was confirmed by the central office on Friday, July 29.Bernadas noted that the two suspected cases in Central Visayas, one of whom wa
NINE people were arrested in the cities of Cebu and Mandaue in separate operations after they were found to be allegedly involved in fuel smuggling operations.Operatives of the National Bureau of Investigation in Central Visayas (NBI 7) arrested the nine suspects in two separate operations conducted in Barangay Carreta in Cebu City and Barangay Subangdaku in Mandaue City.During the operation in Barangay Subangdaku on July 11, NBI 7 operatives led by agent-in-charge Arnel Pura arrested Domingo Ba