A new hypercar startup is challenging one of the most fundamental aspects of performance car design: where the driver sits. Dutch brand Sanrivatti has revealed what it calls “Apex Position”, a forward driving layout that aims to create a closer connection between driver and machine.The idea sounds simple: Move the driver forward, tilt the body and change the line of sight. However, the thought behind it is deeper than this. While modern hypercars continue to pursue more power, advanced aerodynamics and sophisticated electronics, Sanrivatti believes that the driving experience can be transformed by rethinking the driver’s position in the vehicle. The company says its new concept is inspired by high-performance motorcycles, where the rider is more physically involved with the machine and more directly connected to its movements.
What is Apex positioning?
According to Sanrivatti, the Apex Position puts the driver in a more forward and central focus compared to a conventional hypercar. Most high-performance cars place the driver behind the front axle in a relatively angled 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 the configuration offers a wider field of vision and allows drivers to judge corners and track positioning 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 originated from a simple question: why is the connection between the rider and the machine more immediate in a motorcycle than in many high-performance cars?Cars, he argues, do the opposite. Layers of architecture, packaging and convenience stand between the driver and the road. The faster the car, the more technology mediates the experience rather than amplifying it.The Apex Position is Sanrivatti’s attempt to close this gap. The driver sits more centrally in the vehicle, leaning forward instead of reclining. The field of vision is wider. Placement of the vehicle on the track becomes more intuitive. The driver, in theory, stops being a strapped passenger in a very fast machine and becomes an active part of it.Sanrivatti says prototype development is progressing quickly and more details about the hypercar will be revealed in the coming months. For now, the company’s focus remains on its core philosophy: designing a hypercar around the driver rather than around the machine.
