First look: Pininfarina Enjoys anniversary

PININFARINA has announced it will build 75 examples of its open-top Enjoy sports car in 2005 to celebrate the legendary coach building company’s 75th anniversary.

The production version of Enjoy follows on from the concept first shown at Geneva in 2003 and stays true to that car’s principles.

The Enjoy owes much to Lotus and its Elise sports model, including the extruded aluminium chassis, double wishbone suspension and mid-mounted 141kW Toyota-sourced VVTL-i engine mated to a six-speed manual gearbox driving the rear wheels.

The Enjoy is being developed using the skills of French engineering specialist Matra, purchased recently by Pininfarina. Matra will build the car.

Exterior styling is by Pininfarina with roofless and windscreen-less bodywork done in carbon-fibre, while the fenders can be removed to transform the car into an open-wheel roadster.

The Enjoy weighs in at a lithe 850kg on the road and less than 800kg on the track, accelerates to 100km/h in 5.2 seconds and motors on to a top speed of 250km/h.

The car was intentionally revealed at the British Louis Vuitton classic last weekend to celebrate a new partnerships between Pininfarina and the luxury brand.

That included Vuitton designing the car’s luxury interior and accessories, including driving suits, driving shoes and an exclusive helmet.