Head-forward driving position! New hypercar breaks convention

A new hypercar startup challenges one of the most fundamental aspects of performance car design: where the driver sits. Dutch brand Sanrivatti has unveiled what it calls the “Apex Position”, a head-forward driving layout that aims to create a closer connection between the driver and the engine.The idea seems simple: Move the driver forward, tilt the body and change the sight lines. However, the thinking behind it goes deeper than that. As modern hypercars continue to pursue higher power outputs, advanced aerodynamics and sophisticated electronics, Sanrivatti believes that the driving experience can be changed by rethinking the driver’s position inside the car. The company says its new concept takes inspiration from high-performance motorcycles, where the rider is more physically involved with the machine and more directly connected to its movements.

What is Apex’s position?

According to Sanrivatti, the Apex Position puts the driver in a more front-and-center location compared to a conventional hypercar. Most high-performance cars place the driver behind the front axle in a relatively seated cockpit. The new layout, however, moves the driver closer to the action and is designed to improve visibility, vehicle placement and overall engagement behind the wheel.

The company claims that the setup offers a wider field of vision and allows drivers to judge corners and track position more accurately. It also aims to make the driver feel more involved during acceleration, braking and cornering, instead of being isolated from the vehicle’s movements.The founder and CEO of Sanrivatti, Santiago Sanchez Rivero, said that the idea came from a simple question: why does the connection between rider and machine feel more immediate on a motorcycle than on many high-performance vehicles?Cars, he argues, are the opposite. Layers of architecture, packaging and convention sit between the driver and the road. The faster the car, the more technology mediates the experience rather than enhancing it.Apex Position is Sanrivatti’s attempt to close that gap. The driver sits more centrally in the car, leaning forward rather than sitting down. The field of vision is wider. Placing the vehicle on the track has become more intuitive. The driver, in theory, stops being a passenger tied to a very fast machine and becomes an active part of it.Sanrivatti said the development of the prototype is progressing rapidly and more details about the hypercar will be revealed in the coming months. For now, the company’s focus remains on its central philosophy: designing a hypercar around the driver rather than around the engine.