Quick question for you: what is this?

Is it an Alfa Romeo? A contemporary AC Cobra? Good Lord, those headlights…is it the latest MINI coupe…?!

Actually, fresh off the teaser that landed on crankandpiston’s doorstep a few weeks ago, these are the first official images of the new 427 from Italian newboys Puritalia. As any rookie will attest, it’s important to make an impression first time out the starting blocks, and considering the lines of the 427 are an ‘harmonic contrast between elegance and aggression’, it’s clear that Puritalia are keen to do the same.

Let’s take, for example, the ethos designer Fabio Ferrante used to create the 427’s distinctive look, from which the two-seater  melds ‘history’, ‘charm’, ‘passion’ and ‘enthusiasm’ with ‘fear’.

But wait. There’s more…

Puritalia wanted to design a car that paid tribute to the Shelby Cobra, without traipsing the same hallowed ground, and yet simultaneously combined the spirit of the classic American muscle car with the elegance of Italian design…

…exactly! Certainly designing this sportscar was not going to be easy.

Performance figures and engine specifics as of yet are still shrouded in mystery, but we get the feeling this bold design will be enough to keep most of you intrigued in the interim. The hot debate is already well underway at crankandpsiton, and we’d love to know which side of the fence you’ve come down on.