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Hublot and Ferrari : a new full-throttle foray into the world of GT

It is now more than eight years since the Nyon manufacture and the Maranellobased firm sealed their partnership. Their ever-closer collaboration continues this year with the Classic Fusion Ferrari GT model, which is innovative in several respects.

By Michel Jeannot

Partnerships between watchmaking houses and car manufacturers are frequent. But few can rival the intensity of the Hublot-Ferrari alliance, which began in 2011. The collaboration between the Hublot head office in Nyon and the beating heart of the Ferrari firm in Maranello is an inexhaustible source of creative inspiration be it for watch movements, design or research into materials. Several models have marked this rich, shared destiny, such as the Big Bang Ferrari, the MP-05 LaFerrari and the Techframe Ferrari Tourbillon Chronograph, which was created for the 70th anniversary of the Italian engine manufacturer.

The spirit of Gran Turismo

The latest product of this partnership is the Classic Fusion Ferrari GT, which was unveiled at Baselworld by the Hublot and Ferrari teams at a special event that attracted extensive media coverage. It is a model with mechanics by Hublot and bodywork by Ferrari. And, in a first for this partnership, it is part of the Classic Fusion collection. So, after Formula 1 racing, the world of ‘Gran Turismo’ – or GT – is now being showcased. The concept was born, appropriately, in Italy in the first half of the 20th century.

Gran Turismo is a frame of mind. It involves incorporating the engine of a racing car into an essentially hand-built luxury saloon. Today, GTs are still breathtakingly high-performance limited-edition models that combine sport with luxury. At the wheel sit gentleman drivers or elegant women who are invariably fearless.

Established
1980
Company status
Société anonyme (public limited company), a branch of LVMH Swiss Manufactures SA
Senior Management
Ricardo Guadalupe, CEO
Number of employees
670
Flagship collections
Big Bang, Classic Fusion, Spirit of Big Bang, Manufacture Pieces
Bestsellers
Men’s model: Big Bang Unico
Women’s model: Classic Fusion 38 mm
Retail prices
From around CHF 5,000 to 280,000
(excluding MP collection and high jewellery pieces)
Annual production
Around 50,000 pieces

www.hublot.com

The perfect bridge between automobiles and watchmaking

A sophisticated mechanism and immaculate style, down to the tiniest of details: this is the very quintessence of the Classic Fusion Ferrari GT. This flyback chronograph offers some unique features. Firstly its engine: the Unico manufacture movement in its second-generation version, known as HUB1281 and unveiled in 2018. This self-winding mechanical movement stands out for being uncommonly slim for this type of calibre, with a thickness of just 6.75 mm. Connoisseurs of fine watchmaking mechanics will also note that it is the subject of four patents, that it oscillates at a frequency of 4 Hz (28,800 vph) and that its column wheel is visible on the dial side. Its bodywork has been equally well crafted. The first of the three versions of this chronograph has a case that is 45 mm in diameter in 3D carbon, a polymer matrix composite woven from three-dimensional fibres. Borrowed from motor racing, it is unique in watchmaking.

This high-tech material offers at least two benefits: it is ultra-resistant and extremely light. Clearly, Ferrari’s long experience has paid dividends here. For those who prefer more classic versions, the chronograph is available with a case in titanium or King Gold, an exclusive alloy developed internally by Hublot. The spotlight is trained on motorisation, with the transparent sapphire crystal dial allowing a full view of the movement. As for the partnership with Ferrari, it would hardly be complete if the model did not display the brand’s symbols : the famous rearing horse appears at 12 o’clock, while Ferrari’s trademark red outlines the circumference of the dial. The finishing touch is provided by the timepiece’s rubber strap, which is sheathed in the same Schedoni leather that graces the seats of the Italian sports cars.

Flavio Manzoni, Chief Design Officer at Ferrari.

Flavio Manzoni : a man of style

Ferrari has long been the ultimate symbol of automotive performance, pushing mechanics and high technology to their limits. It also embodies unrivalled style that fires the imagination of adults and children, men and women, and even those who have no special attachment to cars. Since January 2010, Flavio Manzoni has been the keeper of the flame at Maranello. This is no doubt a crowning achievement for the 54-yearold Sardinian, who trained in architecture and industrial design at the University of Florence and was recognised by his peers in 2014 with the Compasso d’Oro award, the oldest and most prestigious distinction in the industry. The Hublot watchmakers work with Flavio Manzoni and the staff in his design studio – the Centro Stile Ferrari – to create the models that arise from this partnership. This is how legends and icons are born.