Published on Jul 22,2026 at 2:21 PM | Updated on Jul 28,2026 at 11:00 AM
When a supercar is conceived from a blank sheet of paper, the design becomes much more than just a shell: it becomes the starting point of its existence. As part of the Ultimate Supercar Garage series, we met Davide Dessi, Chief Designer at the Italian brand Automobili Mignatta, to gain an insight into the creative vision behind this neo-retro barchetta.

Automobili Mignatta Rina: a new take on the Italian barchetta

At the Ultimate Supercar Garage 2026, Automobili Mignatta unveiled the Rina for the first time in France. This new barchetta, inspired by the great Italian sports cars of the 1960s, puts driving pleasure back at the heart of automotive design. Built around a brand-new carbon-fibre chassis and powered by a naturally aspirated V8 paired with a manual gearbox, the Rina embodies a resolutely authentic approach. On this occasion, we met Davide Dessi, Chief Designer at Automobili Mignatta, who discussed the intentions behind his design and shared the philosophy behind a car conceived to stand the test of time.

Automobili Mignatta Rina: an ode to Italian automotive design

 

At first glance, the Mignatta Rina seems to belong to another era. Yet it is Automobili Mignatta’s very first model.

Having specialised in carbon fibre for over 25 years, working with prestigious manufacturers, the Italian company has realised its own vision of the ideal sports car with the Rina. Its barchetta silhouette, clean surfaces and elegant proportions immediately bring to mind the great Italian designs of the 1960s – a period when designers sought, above all, harmony of form and the beauty of lines rather than aggressive styling.

For Davide Dessi and his team, this reference is not an exercise in nostalgia but a starting point.

From the very outset of the project, the ambition was clear: to return to the very essence of the sports car. To design a lightweight, emotive car focused above all on driving pleasure, far removed from the technological overkill that characterises much of today’s production.

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Designing a car from scratch

This pursuit of purity does not stop at the design.

One of the most fascinating aspects of the project is that the Rina was developed entirely from scratch. Drawing on its experience, Automobili Mignatta chose to create its own architecture in order to preserve the integrity of its vision.

The car is therefore built on a carbon-fibre monocoque specifically designed for this model. This technical freedom allowed the designers and engineers to work together from the very earliest stages of the project, without having to contend with constraints inherited from an existing platform.

The result is evident in the car’s very proportions: a long bonnet, a rear-set cabin and perfectly balanced proportions – everything has been designed to serve the original aesthetic vision. This harmony between design and engineering is undoubtedly one of the Rina’s greatest achievements. Translated with DeepL.com (free version)

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An analogue experience in a digital world

The Rina does more than simply adopt a retro-contemporary style. It also promises a purer driving experience. A barchetta without a traditional windscreen, a driver-centred cockpit, a kerb weight of less than 1,000 kg, a front-mid-mounted naturally aspirated V8 engine paired with a manual gearbox: every choice seems to have been guided by the quest for authentic thrills.

Whilst the Rina first and foremost captivates with its aesthetics, it also embodies a very purist approach to driving.

 

Under its long bonnet lies a melodious-sounding 5-litre naturally aspirated V8 engine producing around 500 chevaux. This power output is deliberately modest by today’s standards, but makes perfect sense given the car’s claimed kerb weight of less than 1,000 kg. Even more revealing of the project’s philosophy is the fact that this engine is paired with a six-speed manual gearbox. This setup alone encapsulates Automobili Mignatta’s philosophy. Here, the pursuit of driving sensations takes precedence over the pursuit of performance figures, with a car designed to offer raw driving pleasure, underpinned by its light weight, expressive mechanics and a deeply Italian character.

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