Head-forward driving position! New supercar breaks convention

A new supercar startup is challenging one of the most fundamental aspects of high-performance car design: where the driver sits. Dutch brand Sanrivatti has launched the so-called “Apex Position”, a head-forward driving layout designed to create a closer connection between driver and machine.The idea sounds simple: have the driver move forward, tilt the body and change the line of sight. However, the idea behind it goes beyond that. While modern supercars continue to pursue higher power outputs, advanced aerodynamics and advanced electronics, Sanrivatti believes the driving experience can be transformed by rethinking the driver’s position within the car. The company says its new concept draws inspiration from high-performance motorcycles, allowing riders to become more involved with the machine and more directly connected to its movement.

What is the positioning of Apex?

Sanrivatti said the Apex Position puts the driver further forward and more centrally than a conventional supercar. Most performance cars place the driver in a relatively sloping cockpit behind the front axle. However, the new layout brings the driver closer to the action and is designed to improve visibility, vehicle positioning and overall engagement behind the wheel.

The company claims the setup provides a wider field of view, allowing drivers to more accurately judge corners and track positioning. It’s also designed to make the driver feel more involved when accelerating, braking and cornering, rather than isolated from the vehicle’s movements.Sanrivatti founder and CEO Santiago Sanchez Rivero says the idea stemmed from a simple question: Why does the connection between rider and machine feel more direct on a motorcycle than on many performance cars?Cars, he believes, do just the opposite. There are multiple layers of architecture, packaging and conventions between the driver and the road. The faster the car gets, the more technology mediates the experience rather than amplifies it.Apex Position is Sanrivatti’s attempt to close this gap. The driver sits more centrally in the car, leaning forward rather than reclining. The view is wider. The placement of vehicles on the track has become more intuitive. In theory, the driver ceases to be a passenger strapped into a very fast machine and becomes an active part of it.Sangliwati said prototype development is progressing quickly and more details about the supercar will be revealed in the coming months. For now, the company’s focus remains on its core philosophy: designing supercars around the driver rather than the machine.