A car designer’s ultimate epic drives

After stints at Lamborghini, Fiat and Pininfarina, Italian-born car designer Luca Borgogno was handed the task of sculpting the most powerful production hypercar to come out of Italy: the £2m all-electric Automobili Pininfarina Battista. He now holds the enviable position of design director for the company. Motoring journalist Rory Smith asks the car creative for his top five drives.

Click on an image below to read the story

Rome to Campo Imperatore, Italy

From Rome, I took my old Fiat Cinquecento to the roads around Gran Sasso, a mountain at the heart of Abruzzo in Italy. This particular road takes you to Campo Imperatore, a large alpine plateau. The roads there are fantastic – they twist and turn through the mountains, which are not as cold as the Alps, so you see a lot of green. I didn’t care that I wasn’t in a fast car; it’s a beautiful province and a stunning place to drive, no matter the car.

Car of choice: Fiat Cinquecento

Route Napoléon, France

I’ve always loved the south of France and the roads there. One of my absolute favourites is Route Napoléon, a mountain pass that winds its way from Grenoble to coastal Cannes. I have a very clear image of driving my motorbike downhill, with nothing but empty road ahead of me and views down the valley. As you weave your way through the mountains, you gradually start to see the sea as it comes into view. It’s quite an open pass, so a great road for appreciating the beauty of the area. I remember being so focused; my mind was completely lost in the moment.

Bike of choice: BMW GS

Bastia to Ajaccio, Corsica

For me, the biggest playground for driving is Corsica. Each time I’ve been there, it was an absolute pleasure. From mountains that are 2,000 metres above sea level to the coast, it may be a small island but the views are unbeatable. The roads are perfect, too – spectacular and fast. One of my favourite drives is from Bastia in the north to Ajaccio in the south. In the ‘finger’ around Bastia, the roads can get pretty narrow. Then, as you move south, you pass through one of my favourite places in Corsica – the stunning hilltop town of Corte.

Bike of choice: MV Agusta 4

Loch Ness, Scotland

Scotland is another of my favourite places. I love the loneliness of the landscape around Inverness and Loch Ness. You really do feel wonderfully alone – it’s just you, the open road and the occasional stray sheep. The violet hills and the loch-side are beautiful, and the silence makes it a very special place to be. I was in a forgettable rental car at the time, but I’ve vowed to take my BMW Z4 M Coupe there. It’s something I’ve always wanted to do, but not yet had the chance.

Car of choice: BMW Z4 M Coupe

Stavanger to Geilo, Norway

When I was in Norway, I drove from Stavanger on the coast to a ski resort called Geilo. The landscape there is so different to the Alps, which is what I’m used to – it’s flat in places but also has these brilliant high roads, and the fjords are just incredible. At every corner you’re shocked by what you’re confronted with – steep rock faces leading down into deep bodies of water. If I were to go back, I’d love to do it in the car I designed, the Automobili Pininfarina Battista.

Car of choice: Automobili Pininfarina Battista