Guide: Ferrari Pininfarina Mythos
Background
In 1952, Enzo Ferrari signed an agreement that saw Pininfarina become the Maranello firm’s official body designer and coachbuilder.
In the decades that followed, Pininfarina created nearly all of Ferrari’s production cars plus several sports racing models and an array of design concepts conceived to explore future styling trends.
Unfortunately, when Ferrari decided to abandon sports car racing at the end of the 1973 season, the number of surplus-to-requirements prototype racing chassis typically favoured for building show cars dried up. As a result, less and less Ferrari-badged styling exercises began to emerge.
In 1974, Pininfarina created the Cr 25 which was conceived as a potential replacement for the four-seat 364 GT4. The Cr 25 was followed by the 1980 Pinin: a four door concept built to celebrate Pininfarina’s 50th anniversary. Both cars were based on Ferrari’s then current 365 / 400 platform.
Next to arrive was the Testarossa-based Mythos in 1989.
Surprisingly, Pininfarina had never previously used the long-running mid-Flat 12-engined BB or Testarossa to create a design concept.
The BB had gone into production during 1973, after which it was developed through two subsequent iterations before finally being replaced by the Testarossa in 1984.
Thanks to a series of radical design features, most notably its slatted side intakes and tail fascia, the Testarossa was a true icon of its era. The flamboyant machine broke with Pininfarina’s normally conservative approach to styling and came to define the kind of excess so in vogue during the 1980s.
The Testarossa sold in vast numbers thanks to a combination of booming global economies and its US compliant status (unlike the BB which was not officially legal for sale across the Atlantic). However, Ferrari resisted any temptation to create an open top version which surely would have sold extremely well.
This lack of a Flat 12-powered Spider was one of the areas addressed by the Mythos. In addition, Pininfarina focused on aerodynamic efficiency and the transition to the kind of soft curves that would rise to prominence during the 1990s.
The fully operational Mythos was unveiled at the Tokyo Motor Show in October 1989.
Although conceived as a one-off, three further examples were subsequently built a few years later for the Brunei Royal Family.
Bodywork
The most striking aspect of the Mythos was its futuristic exterior. Thanks to state-of-the-art aerodynamics and an electronically activated aero kit, it boasted a drag coefficient of just 0.27 compared to 0.36 for the Testarossa (which also had the intrinsic benefit of a roof).
Pininfarina fitted the Mythos with a mixture of lightweight resin and carbonfibre composite body panels.
The finished article was 135mm wider and 180mm shorter than the Testarossa. Its dimensions had the effect of exaggerating the original car’s proportions - the Mythos looked as though its front bodywork was emerging from the much wider tail (proportions that were necessary because the engine and radiators were positioned at the back of the car as per the original Testarossa).
Also like the Testarossa, the Mythos had a long front overhang. The air-piercing nose featured a flat apron that housed a pair of circular spot lights and an active chin spoiler that moved down into the airflow by up to 30mm.
Further up, the Testarossa’s retractable headlights were ditched in favour of fixed units mounted underneath clear covers. At the leading edge of each headlight was a neatly crafted cooling duct.
Down each flank, the Testarossa’s trademark slatted intakes were dropped in favour of unadorned cooling scoops that lent the Mythos a more modern appearance. Above these intakes, the tops of the doors swept back to merge with the rear fenders which in turn formed an integrated wraparound spoiler.
The spoiler was supported by a central telescopic pylon that enabled a retractable central element to rise into the airflow. The speed-sensitive wing would electronically raise by up to 300mm and tilt to an angle of up to 12°.
A single piece wraparound windscreen was fitted, but their were no side windows and not even an emergency roof.
The flat rear deck was home to a pair of longitudinal cooling vents.
Although the standard Testarossa already had a very short rear overhang, it was further truncated for the Mythos. The new car had a tail fascia that featured a full width light cluster and shrouded exhausts.
To finish, Pininfarina installed a set of wheels with five aerodynamically curved spokes designed to direct fresh air towards the brakes.
Interior
Like the exterior, the Mythos had a completely redesigned cockpit.
A new double curved dash swept round from the centre of the cabin to integrate with the door panels.
Directly behind the special three-spoke steering wheel was a custom oval instrument binnacle. At each end of this was a bank of half-a-dozen warning lights.
The orange on black analogue gauges were imported from the standard Testarossa. They comprised a large speedometer and rev counter in between which were smaller read outs for oil pressure and oil temperature stacked one above the other. In each corner were more small read outs for water temperature and fuel level.
The fixed-back bucket seats were adjoined in the centre to give an unusual single-piece effect. Instead of conventional seatbelts, four-point harnesses were installed through gaps in the seat backs and sides.
The dash and forward sections of the transmission tunnel and door panels were trimmed in black leather to match the carpet. The rest of the upholstery was body coloured.
Chassis
Under the skin, the Mythos was pure Testarossa. It was based on a standard Tipo F110 AB welded tubular steel chassis with a 2550mm wheelbase.
Suspension was independent all round via unequal length wishbones, coil springs, telescopic shocks and anti-roll bars. Twin shocks were installed each side at the back.
The ventilated disc brakes had a 315mm diameter at the front and 310mm diameter at the rear. ABS was not fitted to this nor any other Testarossa.
Twin fuel tanks with an overall capacity of 120-litres were mounted underneath the engine (up against the rear bulkhead).
Engine / Gearbox
In the engine bay was Ferrari’s familiar 180° Flat 12 motor with dry-sump lubrication, dual overhead camshafts and four valves per cylinder..
Displacement was 4942cc thanks to a bore and stroke of 82mm and 78mm respectively.
The all-alloy Tipo F113 A engine ran Marelli Microplex MED 120A electronic ignition, Bosch K-Jetronic fuel-injection and a 9.2:1 compression ratio.
Peak output was 390bhp at 6300rpm and 354lb-ft at 4500rpm.
Transmission was via a five-speed manual gearbox, twin-plate hydraulic clutch and limited-slip differential.
Weight / Performance
Whereas the Testarossa weighed in at 1506kg, the Mythos was just 1250kg.
It had a projected top speed of 180mph and 0-62mph time of 5.2 seconds, both of which were more or less identical to the standard car.
Production
The original 1989 Tokyo Motor Show car (chassis EAG026) was sold to Japanese collector, Shiro Kosaka, who owned the Gallery Abarth collection in Yamanakako. During the 1970s and 1980s, Kosaka had purchased several Pininfarina show cars and after two years of negotiation he was granted permission to purchase the Mythos.
Three copies were subsequently built at the request of the Brunei Royal Family for whom Pininfarina carried out many special commissions during the 1990s.
The three examples destined for Brunei (chassis EFH089, EFH103 and EFH118) were painted red, blue and black and all configured in right-hand drive with retractable canvas roofs and operational side glass.
Text copyright: Supercar Nostalgia
Photo copyright: Pininfarina - https://pininfarina.it
