That Weird-Ass Motorcycle-Cockpit Hypercar Is Coming Soon. Supposedly

I've ridden my fair share of superbikes. And I've driven my fair share of super and hypercars. Both are fun as hell, but in different ways, and that's OK. For some, the thrill of nothing containing the ferocity of a BMW M1000 RR is the ultimate sensation of speed, while others enjoy the ability to bend physics and listen to the insanity of four turbos spinning up right behind your head in a Bugatti Chiron.

I've done both and can say, hand on heart, they're both nervous-giggle-inducing fun. They're just for different folks, you know. The lines never really intersect in the real world outside a couple automotive writers like myself who've done both.

So color me confused in relation to Sanrivatti’s idea for its supposedly upcoming supercar, which blends the two speed disciplines in one weird-ass way. It's a hypercar with a straddle-like cockpit of a superbike. Um, OK. I have oh so many questions, but I guess the most important one is: Who the hell wants that? I guess we'll find out, as the full hypercar is set to be unveiled next month.

I did, however, take the photo Sanrivatti sent over and cut the shadows in Lightroom to give you all a better sense of what this thing looks like, which is the top image, and...let's just get into it.

Cars Go Vroom. Bikes Go Braap

Listen to Kawasaki's First Teaser of the Updated Supercharged Ninja H2

Brembo Took Hypercar Brake Tech And Rebuilt It For Motorcycles. The Result Is Insane

"Ahead of its full exterior design reveal in just over two weeks’ time, Sanrivatti has shared a teaser image of its debut hypercar," says the new press release, adding, "Featuring the revolutionary ‘Apex Position’, the new hypercar rewrites the rulebook on ultra-high-performance ergonomics. The Sanrivatti hypercar’s world-first head-forward position transforms the driver’s field of vision, enabling them to take full advantage of more precise vehicle placement on track and establish a much deeper connection with the machine."

Well, now we can see more of it, and it looks a lot like a lot of other go-fast, track-ready hypercars with massive rear diffusers, tunnels, strakes, and more. Honestly, it looks like Sanrivatti took a Praga supercar and then maybe reworked the interior to include the aforementioned motorcycle seating position? That part is unclear as the company didn't include a teaser of the interior or front of the hypercar.

But in relation to my original question of "who's this for," I also question how this is all going to work? The reason why you're in a forward position on a superbike is that you lean the whole machine over in a corner, and if you're sitting more like a car, your balance would become shit. You can't lean encased in a hypercar's cockpit, nor are you in the optimal seating position to control the car. And your feet being behind you, apparently controlling the brakes and gas, would be even worse, as the dynamics are all off-kilter and your central mass is just way too forward.

It's all just...wrong. At least, that's how I envision it at present, but maybe I'm wrong. We won't have to wait long to see what's what, as Sanrivatti says it'll release the full design on November 13th.

According to the company's founder and CEO Santiago Rivero, "As we transition from philosophy to physical form, we look forward to revealing the full external design of our radical new hypercar at our company headquarters in the Netherlands on 13 November. Doing so will mark the successful completion of another strategic and engineering milestone since Sanrivatti emerged from stealth mode earlier this year."

Again, none of this makes any sense in my brain, having been behind the wheel and bars of both types of machine. I just can't wrap my head around it.

Stay informed with our newsletter every weekday

 

back

Subscribe For more info, read our Privacy Policy & Terms of Use.