Tuesday 3rd July 2012

RIP Sergio Pininfarina

Honorary chairman of iconic carozzeria and design house dies at 85

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Legendary car designer Sergio Pininfarina died last night in his home near Turin at the age of 85.

Pininfarina was instrumental in handling the relationship between his coachbuilding and design company and Enzo Ferrari, a relationship that began in 1952 and whose fruit was some of the most iconic sports cars of the 20th century.

Born Sergio Farina, he joined his father Battista's Carrozzeria Pininfarina (the family changed their surname from Farinia to Pininfarina to match the company in 1961, at the request of the Italian president). In 1966 he became chairman of the company upon his father's death, only relinquishing control of the day-to-day running of the company in 2002 to his son, the late Andrea Pininfarina. In 2005 he was made a Senator for Life of the Italian Republic.

Although Pininfarina will be most fondly remembered for his hand in the design of Ferraris, the company has also worked with the likes of Peugeot Alfa Romeo Cadillac and Volvo. So, as a tribute to the great man, here are a few of his company's designs...

 

[thewheelman]

Very sad news, a design genius that'll never be forgotten.

[RoyaleDetailing]

Wow. Sad day. Huge loss to car enthusiasts all over the world.

RIP.

[Shaw Tarse]

Sad news,

[RevOne]

What a legacy to leave behind. RIP.

Any news on whos heading up operations now?

[Colt91]

Noooo, such sad news! RIP Sergio Pininfarina!

[rohrl]

RIP Pinin.

You left behind a body of work any other designer would be proud to call their own.

We can concentrate on the heartbreakingly beautiful Ferraris of course and no doubt will, but the Peugeot 205 is a wonderful example of how a small and cheap car can be a perfectly proportioned object of desire which still looks as fresh and crisp as it did thirty years ago.

[Steamer]

What a legacy of beautiful design.

[Stew2000]

God bless that man.

[lazyitus]

Crikey - there are some heavy weights from the car world popping their clogs recently. Is this due to global warming, I wonder..

[Gio G]

Very sad news - strange that I was at a small Pininfarina exhibition in London looking at there work across different products.

[Chickentonight]

I grew up looking at a poster of an F40 and i still have it. I'm so glad and very grateful that such an amazing person existed to give me my childhood dream

Rest In Peace Sergio Pininfarina, you'll be sorely missed

[gionascm2]

Very sad news.

[Pete102]

suddenly when it comes to cleaning my car ill take extra care around the pininfarina badge...

[Enricogto]

RIP Sergio, grazie per i tuoi capolavori.....

Riggers, on the title Carozzerria is wrong, the correct one is Carrozzeria.

Enrico

[Dusty964]

Very sad news, some stunning cars there.

In fact, having read the article, it states that 'he was made a Senator'- you you think they could have done something better than that really, given the designs that he was responsible for.

Edited by Dusty964 on Tuesday 3rd July 12:51

[traffman]

Rip Pinin .. he penned the Daytona and the F40 . So he is and allways will be a legend in my eyes.

[BBS-LM]

Really sad news, by far one of the all time great product designers of are time. amazing body work.

[craig_m67]

Wonderful designs... and I own one, the Duetto. His fathers last




(yes, worst I own one post ever )

[ZesPak]

Very sad news, not a nice thing to read.
At least he's immortal in designing some very iconic cars.

Now the only thing left to do is for Fiat to build the Duettottanta in his honor.

[Evo]

Thankyou for being an inspiration behind my passion for cars and a motivation to study car design.

RIP Mr Pininfarina

Edited by Evo on Tuesday 3rd July 13:06