A new and upcoming Italian automaker is appealing to the sense of pride and automotive history of the supercar-heavy Piedmont region. It’s also looking to build its appeal thanks to that same history and expertise.
Two months ago, Automobili Mignatta revealed the first teaser images of its upcoming carbon fiber monocoque chassis sports car called the Rina. Now it is giving us yet another tease, this time with details about the car’s carbon structure (said to be stiffer than that of an Aventador) and a bit of a glimpse of its sinuous shape.
An Incredibly Stiff Chassis Is The Starting Point For This Exotic
Automobili Mignatta’s goal was, of course, a strong and light chassis. Light because the car is meant to bring timeless 1960s Italian style to market. Strong because the ultra-flimsy spec of most of those stunning shapes from back in time might look amazing, but they’re unacceptable in a modern package.
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This isn’t the start of a side hustle, however – only one has and will ever be made.
Mignatta calls the monocoque construction JM Super Monoscocca. JM is the company that owns Automobili Mignatta. More importantly, the company has been working with the high-tech composite for decades. Building monohulls for luxury yachts, components for auto industry clients, and even carbon bikes and rowing sculls.
“Using advanced virtual simulations, it was possible to significantly optimize the performance of the monocoque. The JM-SM is a structure characterized by extraordinary rigidity, both in terms of flexural and torsional stiffness, the result of a smart use of carbon fiber and lamination techniques. The construction also benefits from an optimal use of filling materials, like foams and honeycombs, capable of ensuring a minimum overall weight.”
– Andrea Chiumello, Chief Engineer of Rina’s monocoque
Naturally Aspirated V8 Will Be Operated By A Manual Transmission
According to Mignatta, the chassis weighs just 157 pounds. It has a torsional stiffness of 101,000 Nm/deg. While that doesn’t mean much if you’re not an engineer, we’ll give you this comparison: A Lamborghini Aventador’s carbon shell only reaches 30,000 Nm/deg. This car is more than three times stiffer than that supercar.
Stiffness in a chassis matters because it lets the suspension do its job. If a car flexes, the spring and shocks behave unpredictably. The stiffer the frame, the better the suspension can control body movement and the quicker-reacting the steering. It’s also nice when the mirrors aren’t bouncing around over each bump, which even modern convertibles can experience.
Automobili Mignatta is keeping the rest of the car close to the chest. It restated that the car will have a “high-power naturally-aspirated V8 engine.” The engine will be front-mid mounted, and the car will have a six-speed manual transmission.
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The light chassis, along with carbon fiber body panels, will keep this entire car light. Around 2,200 pounds dry weight, says Automobili Mignatta, or roughly half that of the latest Aston Martin Vanquish Volante. It’s a complete flyweight by modern car standards.
The upstart company touts its targets of timeless styling and an analog driving experience it calls “unmatched in the contemporary automotive landscape.”
We still haven’t seen much of it, but we will soon. Automobili Mignatta will reveal the Rina in full on May 8. From there, it will start construction, building just 30 copies per year.
#Italian #Sports #Car #Times #Stiffer #Lamborghini
