2017 Italdesign Zerouno Concept

'Lightweight'. This was the starting concept that designers and engineers implemented for the Italdesign Zerouno project. Right from the first styling draft, the Styling Centre and the Engineering Development Department implemented what is defined as simultaneous engineering, a work method developed and perfected by Italdesign way back at the end of the 1960s and constantly improved over the company's almost fifty-year history.

Designers and engineers work simultaneously to carry forward styling solutions and functional-feasibility checks until an ideal compromise is achieved that meets design and performance requirements alike. Functional design has always distinguished projects set in motion and developed in Moncalieri: there are no styling proposals at Italdesign that do not also simultaneously embrace a technical solution.

'The development of the Zerouno was based on the know-how achieved in the designing of hundreds of cars in our 49-years history' Antonio Casu, Chief Technical Officer, §äid. 'To reach the timing target we applied the latest CAx and Simulation Technologies. Styling has been integrated since the very beginning with early engineering and production processes. All this allowed us to produce a state-of-the-art car in terms of performance and safety.'

Limiting the final weight of the car as far as possible in order to ensure exceptional performances by equally emphasising the carbon fibre and aluminium chassis and the powerful V10 5.2 naturally aspired engine was the objective defined right from the start of this project.

This is why the entire bodywork is in carbon fibre. The same material is also generously used inside the cockpit; the state of the art in fibre layering technology, together with the skills of craftsmen during the finishing stages, combined to achieve a light weight - despite the car measuring 4847 mm in length and 1970 mm in width by 1204 mm in height.

'We put it our best skills into the production of the first car - Massimo Bovi, Head of Pre-Series Center and Production, added - using some of the finest productions methods and engaging our high skilled workers. At the same time we engaged deeply in the latest technologies in electric and electronics. Therefore this first car is showcasing our expertise gained in our history'.

'The Automobili Speciali Zerouno is an invitation to all of our clients to visit our facility, get to know our skills and take advantege of them - said Massimo Martinotti, Head of Business Development. 'Our project witnesess what we can offer to OEMs worldwide besides our traditional services: namely the possibility to design and build for them Últra Low Series models'.

Beauty is the beastSimultaneous engineering is ideally expressed by the exterior design. These two souls live together in complete harmony and exemplify the car's character: racing performances with type-approval for driving on normal roads.

'The exterior is characterised by the two sides of the same coin,' - said Filippo Perini, Head of Innovation Design at Italdesign: 'Above the tornado line, surfaces are distinctly softer and smoother in keeping with the Italian Gran Turismo tradition. The lower part is modelled by aerodynamics. To achieve the performances we had in mind, we had to dare to go beyond all limits in styling and even from a purely technical points of view. The outcome ensures an extremely high impact without ever being design for design's sake'.

Relying on Italdesign advanced Virtual Reality Centre and the simulation techniques of Engineering, the designers were able to identify the most aerodynamic technical and aesthetic solutions and test them immediately - even before starting work on building the car.

'We created the Zerouno to demonstrate the best skills of our 1,000 employees based on fourty-nine years of experience to further develop this business in the future, using the best and fastest processes and collaboration models. Beside offering these Últra Low Series Programmes to all interested parties we will continue this story and put every 18-24 months ambitious and innovative concepts in an Últra Low Series on the road to drive innovation forward so it can be experienced in daily life and to demonstrate the state of the art in technology for our customers' stated Jörg Astalosch, CEO Italdesign.

Inspired by race cars


Potential lift effects caused by the intake of air through the central slot, as highlighted by simulated aerodynamic tests in the virtual reality centre, were eliminated thanks to an aerodynamic solution named Y Duct®.

The air enters the central intake, flows along a 'Y-shaped' path and emerges from the two apertures inserted in the upper part of the bonnet, thereby generating downforce.

This aerodynamic flow is maximised by the rear spoiler's lower wings that increase the downforce.

The spoilers with overlapping wings that characterise the lower part of the car's design at the front and the rear alike are suspended and help create an additional aerodynamic load.

The slots on the front and rear wheel arches not only highlight Italdesign Zerouno's rather aggressive looks but also help dissipate hot air.

The lights use Full LED technology and also perform an aerodynamic function since they are floating systems mounted inside the front and rear wings.

The rear view highlights Zerouno's 'extreme' character - and the 'semi-naked' styling is particularly evident: the taut, angular outlines of the spoilers reveal the tyres and, in the middle, the two 80 cm wide laminar exhausts in titanium, which are designed to accelerate the out-flow of exhaust gases.

Functional design applied to rims


Rims are usually noticed because of their generous dimensions and the aesthetic impact they have on the overall volume of the vehicle. This element was also specifically designed for Zerouno and is the equally the outcome of combined styling and engineering. Built in aluminium by the Italian company OZ, with a diameter of 20', rims were designed to extract the hot air generated by the powerful carbon-ceramic braking system with 8 pistons at the front and 6 at the rear. The structure is fitted with a perimeter turbine in carbon fibre that maximises the aerodynamic effect and the cooling of the breaking system.

Interior

In order to achieve a light weight designers and engineers also joined forces inside the cockpit. Since this car has type-approval for driving on public roads - it is consequently equipped with front and side airbags.

Italdesign emphasised the use of material and on-board systems ensuring high performance and low weight. The interior of the car is simultaneously essential yet elegant, in keeping with the exterior: carbon fibre dominates the overall styling. Door panels, dashboard and central tunnel are all made exclusively with this material. The digital cockpit houses all the car's main controls. Three small monitors in the middle of the dashboard, on the other hand, control all air conditioning functions.

The dual-clutch 7 speed gearbox is controlled by classic paddles mounted behind the steering wheel.

Endless customisation

The five lucky owners of Italdesign Zerouno will be able to maximise the customisation of their cars so that each one will be truly unique. Over and above finishing the bodywork with a colour specifically developed for the client, including full carbon look, Italdesign has also developed several optional packages involving the exterior and inside the cockpit.

The most extreme customisation is offered with the 'Corsa' package, which boosts an accentuated aerodynamic layout dedicated to race track performance and is designed to ensure the performances and the handling of the car with special designed light weight side mirrors, carbon fibre monocoque seats frame, racing rear wing with central longitudinal fin, monodado rims and a dedicated sport, titanium made, muffler. The 'Corsa' package will be for track use only.

Pirelli P-Zero

Featuring High Working Range tread compounds, able to guarantee maximum grip in all conditions, Zerouno's dedicated tyres belong to the new line of coloured tyres, premiered in Geneva by Pirelli. The new Pirelli tyres will be available in four different colors: white, red, yellow and metallic grey.

The special alliance with Roger Dubuis

The world launch of Italdesign Zerouno involves an alliance between Italdesign and Geneva watchmaker Roger Dubuis, renowned for its avant-garde approach to design and engineering, to create an exclusive eight-piece, proudly Italian collection of the brand's iconic Excalibur Spider wrist watch. Produced in hi-tech and innovative materials such carbon and ceramic, the Excalibur Spider Italdesign Edition perfectly represents the forward-looking attitude that ideally unites Italdesign and Roger Dubuis in their respective industries.

The notion of tailormade and handmade, the attention to detail, the choice of the best materials possible, fired by a combination of vast knowledge, comprehensive expertise, sophisticated research and innovative drive are the key elements shared by the Zerouno and the Excalibur Spider. Powered by hand-wound Flying Tourbillon Skeleton Calibre RD505SQ, the Excalibur Spider Italdesign Edition with its cutting-edge materials and world-class design is no exception to these values and a magnificent symbol of a fruitful partnership to come.

Source - Italdesign