IED TORINO PRESENTS ALISEA, THE CONCEPT HYPERCAR PAYING TRIBUTE TO ZONDA’S 25TH ANNIVERSARY

- Unveiling of the full scale prototype developed by the students of the Master Course 
- in Transportation Design students in collaboration with the Modena-based car manufacturer, that launched the iconic two-seater designed by Horacio Pagani a quarter of a century ago

Torino, 10 aprile 2024 – A two-seater that challenged the norm with its distinctively essential nature recalling the timeless appeal of the classics, not disregarding a strong sportiness. A vanguardist design combining aerodynamic features and racing touches. A project that picks up the baton from the most iconic hypercar, projecting it into the future. It’s Alisea, the new concept car created by the students of the Master Course in Transportation Design for the 2022/2023 a.y. at IED Torino, in collaboration with Pagani Automobili. It is the result of a path involving 24 young designers and Pagani design team who worked for months on end to imagine the evolution of the Zonda, 25 years after the model redefined design standards and raised the bar in terms of style and performance.

The concept hypercar unveiled today at the Reggia di Venaria is a futuristic take on the undisputed carbon fiber masterpiece that shook the motoring world at the 1999 Geneva Motor Show. A revolutionary instant classic and ideal distillate of aesthetics and functionality, designed to touch the heart and become one of the hypercars that enthusiasts cherish most. “Twenty-five years ago, Horacio Pagani’s fertile mind generated a dream called Zonda. Working in the shadow of automotive giants, a man with a revolutionary idea tenaciously ventured to the land of motoring. Once a child who crafted toy cars in his room in Casilda, Argentina, nurtured by curiosity and admiration for the great Leonardo da Vinci, he has reinterpreted the concept of Art and Science to give life to a timeless vision. A quarter of a century later, Zonda remains a design and innovation icon, turning into the shared dream of enthusiasts worldwide” states Luigi Ganzerli, Communication Supervisor & Project Manager at Pagani Automobili.

A page of history that Alisea makes its own today, combining Horacio Pagani’s philosophy – always based on the use of advanced technology and the pursuit of perfection – with the Turinese style, paying homage to both tradition and innovation in the automotive sector, in a tribute to the elegance and performance of Group C racing in the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Leonardo da Vinci stated that Art and Science “must walk hand in hand” as early as 500 years ago, and Pagani follows his vision to this day. The students have embraced such a philosophy, picking up the challenge to create a revamped Zonda that could look into the future but not betray the original essence by its creator. As part of their Master's thesis, the young designers worked alongside the Modena-based car manufacturer as members of a true design center, from freehand sketching to 3D for the creation of the physical mockup, building on individual ideas that became foundations for the development of the concept car exteriors and interiors.

The result is a simultaneously analogical and technological car, blossoming from meticulous research; a job made done to turn heads, recovering nearly forgotten approaches to project them into the next 25 years. Its surface has no decorative elements or interruptions: Alisea (Length: 4522 mm, Width: 2055 mm, Height: 1070 mm, Wheelbase: 2794 mm) is a single, clean, and legible shape, with no hollows in any part of the body – a growingly rare feature in this car category. The dynamic shape of the two-seater lies within an ellipse that ideally connects the front end and tail, framing a drop-shaped cockpit ending in the four iconic round tailpipes. The finish, inspired by modeling masterpieces of industrial design, sinuously envelops both the driver and the powerful AMG internal combustion V12 engine.

The headlamps, including the full-LED lights, provide a modern take on the trademark design, with a line following the edge of the cofango, whilst the rear lamps, comprised of a series of rear-lit parametric elements, reference Da Vinci’s Divine Proportion. The aerodynamic appendices, including an active spoiler, side skirts, and a splitter frame the car’s silhouette. The colors underline the aerodynamic sections hiding the spoiler in the side view to make the overall design lighter and more uniform.

Likewise, the Alisea’s interiors retrace the essential themes of the exteriors: an elliptical element embeds the dashboard, which includes the analog gauges and, in the background, a digital screen. Adjacent to it, an analog instrument panel preserves the physicality and tactile approach dear to Pagani. The trademark stick shift – countertrend with modern-day hypercars – dominates the center of the cabin. Finally, the steering wheel is a refined piece of leathercraft combining colors and stitch patterns, creating coherence and harmony with the seats.

“The shared experience between IED Torino students and us at Pagani Automobili has turned out to be extremely formative – explains Alberto Piccolo, Advanced Design Lead at Pagani Automobili –. We got the chance to lead young talents, tapping into the consolidated knowledge and everyday practices that we, as designers and automotive engineers, apply to the industry. At the same time, we have benefited from their fresh and uncontaminated approach.”

“Alisea is the tangible expression of our students’ talent and dedication; the extraordinary result of a collective effort and an interdisciplinary path in which young men and women designed alongside lecturers and corporate staff, sharing skills and visions – states Paola Zini, Director of IED Torino. The partnership with an Italian center of excellence like Pagani adds value to our multifaceted educational offer, with a constant focus on the international context and the development of a strong design culture. This is how we foster the professional growth of young designers, looking at the future with a broad and open perspective.”

The strong link with its surroundings – the Italian cradle of automotive engineering – has made IED Torino an internationally recognized center of excellence for Transportation Design education combining, through a cross-sectoral approach, the world of design and new paradigms in the future of mobility. Today, enrollments in the Bachelor’s degree, the Master’s course, the Summer School, and the Specialization courses in this specific subject amount to 284 students, 46% of whom are foreign and whose origins allow us to create classes with unique perspectives, nurtured by a melting pot of different cultures and original design ideas that stand out.

The 1:1 scale model, whose yearly creation confirms IED Torino’s educational quality, will enrich the prestigious collection of concept cars developed in partnerships with the most renowned manufacturers in the world and with the support of technical sponsors Pirelli, OZ Racing, and Lechler as well as technical partners Freeland.car, MINTT, AM Costruzione Modelli, Raitec, and Italian Design Wrap.

The creative process leading to the design of the concept hypercar was described in a short film shot by Studio PEPE Fotografia in the Reggia di Venaria Reale and the Palazzina di Caccia di Stupinigi (Stupingi hunting lodge) of Turin.

Alisea may be admired at the MAUTO – the National Automobile Museum of Turin – from May 6 to June 7, 2024 (for more information on opening hours and tickets, visit  www.museoauto.com).

Alisea was designed by the IED Torino Master’s in Transportation Design class of 2023:
Andrea Boffa (Italy), Enrichetta Maria Borsano (Italy), Ludwig Brenninkmeijer (The Netherlands), Daria Butenko (Russia), Andrea Caibugatti (Italy), Joan De La Plata Perich (Spain), Mausam Pramod Dhande (India), Aayush Dutta (India), Sharang Kulkarni (India), Txomin Munitxa Arrinda (Spain), Yash Vishnubhai Panchal (India), Simon Rapisarda (Australia), Hariprasad Uthaman Chukkasseri (India), Jayakrishnan Anandan (India), Sara Cancelli (Italy), Pablo Alejandro Hidrobo Lapuerta (Ecuador), Pritish Karmi (India), Tomas Knaze (Slovakia), Vaibhav Krishna (India), Ya-Hsin Liu (Taiwan), Luis David Parra Rubio (Mexico), Davide Patruno (Italy), Jincheng Tian (China), Rongning Xue (China)