The partnership between writing instrument pioneer Montblanc and automotive legend Ferrari is flourishing as Montblanc has just announced an innovative writing instrument made in collaboration with Flavio Manzoni – Chief Design Officer at Ferrari. This project continues the story that began a year ago when the Montblanc Great Characters “Enzo Ferrari” edition was launched.
Inspired by the new Daytona SP3, the new Montblanc Ferrari Stilema SP3 L.E. defies the norms of a conventional pen and stands out with a cutting-edge design, which is not surprising if you look at Ferrari’s design language which is all about architecture and proportions, surfaces, volumes and aerodynamics.
“While a writing instrument has a completely different function and construction to a car, our aim was to create a writing instrument that is perfectly aligned with the philosophy and design language of the Prancing Horse, even before its technical qualities were revealed. Together with Flavio, we have defined a new family of writing instruments that seamlessly merge both Ferrari and Montblanc identities, pushing boundaries of design and innovation within our respective industries,” says Nicolas Baretzki, Montblanc CEO.
The latest model in the “Icona” series of ultra-limited edition vehicles, the Ferrari Daytona SP3 combines innovative materials and cutting-edge technology and pays homage to the trio of Ferrari race cars that took first, second and third places at the homonymous American circuit in 1967. Inspired by its aerodynamic profile and innovative construction, the new Montblanc Ferrari Stilema SP3 comes with a body made of lightweight titanium, rarely seen in Montblanc writing instruments.
While many expect the unique shape to be the only attribute of this edition, well there are other particular elements that make it remarkable such as the angle of the cap top that mimics the way the Ferrari Daytona SP3’s nose slices through the air or the lined accents on the forepart and barrel (derived from the blades on the car’s bumpers) where lines create a visual game of light and dark with bars that seem to disappear.
If the exterior design speaks a very Ferrari language, on the inside we are dealing with a complex engine designed by Montblanc – an 18k gold nib, already an expression of time-honoured craftsmanship. The filling system is another element Ferrari and Montblanc teamed up on – inspired by the Italian manufacturer’s engineering vision, the ink filling mechanism comes to compliment the sleek silhouette of the writing instrument by being hidden beneath a red, semi-transparent blade that cuts through the titanium barrel.
In fact, the mechanism can only be revealed by pulling the blade back. Once the tank is full of ink and the blade locked back in place, the Montblanc Ferrari Stilema SP3 is ready to write.
“It was a fascinating design challenge to translate the proportions and fluidity of the Daytona SP3, ideally contoured for dynamic performance and incredible speeds, to a writing instrument without sacrificing on the quality of the writing experience. Our focus was not only on fluidity of the form but also of function, emphasizing the exceptional sensation of holding a high-calibre fountain pen. Not only is the ink fluid, but the pen supports the rapid movements of the hand as it writes, allowing thoughts to flow unimpeded,“ explains Flavio Manzoni, Chief Design Officer at Ferrari.
The new Montblanc Ferrari Stilema SP3 is being produced in just 599 units worldwide, following the same strategy Ferrari adopted for the Daytona SP3.