Our envy is too strong with this one
As a former creative director at Pininfarina (and the only Japanese person so far to work for the great Italian design house), Ken Okuyama needs no presentation. He oversaw the design of the Ferrari Enzo, the Maserati Birdcage 75th, and the Ferrari P 4/5, among other dream cars.
Okuyama left Pininfarina in 2006 to set up his design firm (Ken Okuyama Design) and has since penned eyewear, furniture, humanoid robots, Shinkansen "Bullet" trains, and cars. Following the K.O. 7 Spider limited edition sports car from 2008, the Japanese designer once again caught the attention of the automotive media in 2016 with the KODE 57 supercar.
The mid-engined speedster features an aluminum spaceframe, carbon-fiber body panels, and a 600-hp 6.0-liter V12 that can be dialed up by Novitec Rosso to deliver even more power. It also gets a custom-made interior that one can get into via the reverse-opening doors.
The limited-edition car (only five will be made) is an homage to the 1957 Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa — a modern and wild reinterpretation of the iconic Italian model if you like. The number of extraordinary design details is just astounding, and the video from Jay Leno's Garage covers everything about this intriguing coach-built supercar.
Furthermore, the video is given added value by the presence of Ken Okuyama himself, who talks Jay through everything that makes the KODE 57 unique.
So grab some popcorn, get comfortable, and hit play. If you're patient (or familiar with the fast-forward button), you'll also see Jay Leno take the KODE 57 for a spin with Ken Okuyama in the passenger seat.