Pontiac CF 428 Coggiola

Vehicle Overview

The Pontiac CF 428 is a one-off concept automobile constructed in 1969, the result of a collaboration between American engineer Paul Farago and the Italian coachbuilder Sergio Coggiola. Commissioned under the direction of John Z. DeLorean, then head of Pontiac Motor Division, the vehicle was conceived as an international showpiece—a stylistic departure from Pontiac’s production range and an exploratory gesture toward transatlantic design synthesis. The designation “CF” derives from the initials of Coggiola and Farago; the “428” references the cubic inch displacement of the V8 engine sourced from the 1969 Pontiac Grand Prix. The chassis and mechanical underpinnings were retained from the Grand Prix donor car, including the 428 cubic inch (7.0-liter) V8 engine, which produced approximately 370 horsepower. The drivetrain, suspension, and braking systems remained largely unmodified, ensuring mechanical continuity and reliability. The intent was not to engineer a new platform, but rather to enclose existing performance within an alternate design vocabulary. The exterior, rendered and fabricated by Carrozzeria Coggiola in Turin, exemplified the wedge-shaped idiom increasingly prevalent in late 1960s concept design. The long hood, abbreviated rear deck, and low roofline presented a formal language closer to European grand tourers than to domestic American models. Distinctive features included retractable headlamps, frameless side glass, and specially designed alloy wheels fitted with Firestone LXX experimental tires. Internally, the CF 428 was configured as a driver-oriented two-seater. The cabin design was restrained, with minimal ornamentation and an emphasis on visibility, symmetry, and ergonomic clarity. Materials were selected for texture and tonal coherence rather than flamboyance, underscoring the vehicle’s conceptual intent. Only a single unit of the CF 428 was constructed. It remains extant and in preserved condition, barring a single exterior repaint performed in the 1980s. The car has appeared at multiple concours events, including Pebble Beach, and is presently held in the private collection of Frank Campanale, nephew of Paul Farago. No official chassis number has been widely documented. The Pontiac CF 428 endures as a singular expression of speculative design—a convergence of American powertrain confidence and Italian formal discipline, realized at a moment when such collaborations were rare and genuinely exploratory in character.