PR95431

CAMBIANO, Italy and MUNICH, April 12, 2022 /PRNewswire=KYODO JBN/ -

    - Automobili Pininfarina reveals how it has engineered the unique new

'sound of sustainable luxury' for its pure-electric hyper GT, Battista

    - Composed using advanced sound engineering and the 'voice' of its

phenomenal pure-electric powertrain, Battista's sound resonates at 54 Hz, a

frequency that aims to have a positive influence on the driver's comfort and

wellbeing

    - Paolo Dellacha , Chief Product and Engineering Officer for Automobili

Pininfarina: "Our sound designers and engineers have crafted a unique, organic

EV sound experience for clients. The Battista voice is emotional and authentic

for everyone experiencing the vehicle"

    - Video on the unique sound of Battista and its frequency displayed in

natural elements: youtu.be/E5etYYeFnik [https://youtu.be/E5etYYeFnik]

    Automobili

Pininfarina has revealed 'SUONO PURO' - the sound concept created for the

world's first pure electric hyper GT as the Italian brand continues to develop

new products and experiences aiming to lead creation of a sustainable new era in

luxury.

    Creating a unique sound experience presented key challenges, while ensuring

an

unrivalled ownership and driving experience with exquisite luxury, design

heritage and sustainability remain at the core. What does beauty and power sound

like in the world of electrification? What voice should this award-winning

design masterpiece and the Automobili Pininfarina brand have? How may natural

and emotional connection between driver, car and the driving experience be

created?

    Aural sensations have been carefully crafted to embody the purity of

Battista's design and give Automobili Pininfarina a unique voice that aims to

resonate positively with the driver. Using advanced technology and following

more than 2,000 hours of composition, development and fine-tuning by vehicle

and sound designers and engineers, a unique brand experience is played out in

exquisite frequencies and tones.

    Paolo Dellacha , Chief Product and Engineering Officer for Automobili

Pininfarina, said, "Our sound designers and engineers have crafted a unique,

organic EV sound experience, something special and authentic for people

experiencing the vehicle. It is a signature for Battista and the Automobili

Pininfarina brand that is as recognisable, pure and individual as its design."

    SUONO PURO honours the purity of Automobili Pininfarina's design DNA,

incorporating wellbeing qualities associated with the 432 Hz frequency. It is

warm and uplifting, as found in the positive emotional effect of Tibetan singing

bowls and was used by classical music composers such as Mozart or Verdi.

    At idle speed, the Battista's sound frequency is 54 Hz (down three octaves

from 432 Hz) - a pure and resonant signature base note. The purity of this

frequency can be visualised by the way in which it impacts water, creating

beautiful, organically symmetrical ripples. The effect of this frequency on the

human body, which is in average around 70 percent water, intends to contribute

to a sense of wellbeing. Clients will experience this in their own Battista,

with deliveries worldwide starting this year.

    Interview with the experts who crafted SUONO PURO for Battista

    Automobili Pininfarina worked closely with sound designers Novo Sonic to

craft a unique voice for the brand and Battista. Automobili Pininfarina NVH &

Sound Managing Engineer, Garry Lane, and Novo Sonic Founder and CEO, Tom Huber,

formed the core partnership that brought this to life, with a small team of

dedicated and passionate sound experts. Here they talk in detail about the

project.

    What was the initial brief? How did you want to make people feel when they

hear the Battista?

    Garry Lane: We are bringing a unique hyper GT to the luxury car world. It

is a first-of-a-kind reimagination of electric mobility - including its sound.

SUONO PURO needed to be authentic and reflective of the brand. We decided to

let the four powerful electric motors speak for themselves, combined with a

special sound experience delivering a positive effect on the driver's wellbeing.

    Tom Huber: We wanted to achieve a natural sound experience, and this comes

from the use of frequency. 440 Hz was first introduced to the American music

industry in the first half of the 20th century to establish a reference tuning

tone for instruments and orchestras. Music tuning worldwide was adapted to this

as a result. However, prior to this, 432 Hz was the tuning of the classical

music world, including by Verdi. Listening to an orchestra playing in the

original tuning, many would agree on a substantial difference in terms of

warmth and positive impact.

    The sound experience should resonate through all aspects of how the

Automobili Pininfarina brand is experienced, not just the product - where a lot

of excitement comes from the emotive powertrain sounds. There needs to be an

emotion and authenticity to all of it, which is why we took a holistic approach

with the use of the 432 Hz frequency throughout the brand experience, with a

consistent sound landscape at every point of contact.

    What was the biggest challenge?

    GL: We had to make sure the Battista is instantly recognisable - we wanted

people to be able to hear it and know it was Battista before they could see it,

fully embracing and celebrating its pure-electric powertrain. It had to be

carefully curated and developed for a truly special car, and an entire brand, in

around half the time it takes larger-volume manufacturers, who would typically

develop a sonic signature in four to five years of research and engineering.

That has been a tremendous challenge.

    TH: Beautiful visual design is pure emotion. A beautiful car like the

Battista gives you goosebumps. The same goes for music - emotions can come

across in different ways and connect with the human body. The challenge was to

create a soundscape that emotionalises a sound that many people have not yet

experienced - the sound of an electric motor. We tackled this head-on by fully

embracing it, showing that the natural, pure-electric sound can be beautiful

and uplifting.

    How did you achieve the goal of representing design and beauty in the sound

of Battista?

    TH: The sound is inspired by the signature Design line around the body of

Battista. Sound creation in the studio began with the brand's Chief of Design

Luca Borgogno, forming a design-inspired 'leitmotif' - a short, recurring

musical phrase. This was translated onto a music sheet displaying the brand's

design philosophy based on its unique proportions represented by curves, length

and harmony - something that has never been done before in this context.

    This is transformed into the sound of Automobili Pininfarina and the

Battista, using 54 Hz as a unique and organic base note that is always present,

creating harmony between performance and wellness - just like the car itself.

This is the Automobili Pininfarina 'Sonic Line'.

    What was the biggest innovation?

    GL: The development of bespoke software, which we call the 'sound heart'.

Not only did it have to be created from scratch for Battista, but the way it was

implemented was unique, working on a specified software solution to enable the

highest quality sound. It is all delivered via the newly engineered,

individually tuneable synthesisers that respond to a range of vehicle systems,

from the speed and torque profiles of the powertrain to the steering input, and

12 specially developed exterior and interior speakers in harmony with Naim

Audio.

    The speaker system was meticulously designed to project the 54 Hz tone

across the whole frequency spectrum in immense quality. The car creates the

sound in real time, a seamless, high-resolution sound experience that

encompasses those inside the car, and provides a signature sound graphic on the

outside. The sound is seamlessly transmitted to the interior for a natural

aural experience. It is low frequency but brings in more of the EV sound

experience.

    TH: We want to be able to convey the highest quality sonic story to those

experiencing it, so ensuring we had the right software and hardware to reproduce

what we created in the studio was really important. It is very different from

working with ICE (Internal Combustion Engine) vehicles as they develop their

own, much wilder sounds. The Battista's inherent futuristic sound is unique, but

also interesting and new with a positive natural effect on those experiencing

it. In this regard, the Battista can be seen as an exquisitely engineered and

finely tuned instrument, played by the conductor and composer behind the wheel,

altering the output by the way they drive in real-time.

    What is the most special thing about the final sound? What are you most

proud of?

    GL: Personalised experiences and beautiful design are very important to our

clients, and drivers can enjoy as much or as little of the Battista's fine

quality sound as they'd like. This results from the extensive engineering and

development on the real sound of the electric motors, which develops through the

different drive modes.

    Ensuring the driver experiences defined differences in sound between the

driving modes was a challenge, but very rewarding to have achieved that

variation. It's a testament to the team's efforts. High levels of

personalisation run through all aspects of Battista, enhancing the luxury

experience to new dimensions, ensuring the driver is encompassed not only by

the combination of performance from the powertrain and the material quality of

the luxurious interior, but also the way in which the car communicates and

makes the driver feel.

    TH: The purity of the sound, I think, is very special. From the beginning we

wanted to tune the sound to 432 Hz. The 54 Hz base frequency conveys the soulful

power of the car and is organic, using the vehicle's hardware to provide as

unique and authentic base as possible. It resonates with what Automobili

Pininfarina stands for: pure design, sustainable luxury and outstanding

performance.

    The way the sound embodies the Battista's design, as well as the wider brand

values is also unique. We haven't just created a sound for a vehicle. We've

evaluated in great detail how people experience the entire brand, the way it

communicates with people, and what the 'voice' of the vehicle is. The same

design and sound themes run through the whole experience. That, to me, is

genuine and original, and tells an important story about innovation at

Automobili Pininfarina.

Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1795203/Automobili_Pininfarina_Battista_

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Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1795204/Automobili_Pininfarina_Battista_

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Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1795205/Automobili_Pininfarina_Battista_

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Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1795206/Automobili_Pininfarina_Battista_

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Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1795208/Automobili_Pininfarina_Battista_

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    Photo:

https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1795209/Automobili_Pininfarina_Battista_Sound_06.jpg

    Logo:

https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1316779/Automobili_Pininfarina_Logo.jpg

   Source: Automobili Pininfarina