Sergio Pininfarina, the son of Pininfarina founder Battista "Pinin" Farina, passed away last night after a long illness. He was 85.
Serving as executive of the Pininfarina design house for almost 50 years, Sergio steered Pininfarina to success in a modern era while upholding the company's heritage, its traditions, and reputation. Quite simply, Sergio Pininfarina had the last word on every design project to come out of the prestigious firm of Cambiano, Italy.
Turin born and raised, Sergio Pininfarina enrolled as a student of the Polytechnic of Torino, where he would graduate with a degree in mechanical engineering in 1950. Joining the family firm as a general manager, Sergio took over the company after his father's death in 1966.
During Sergio's tenure at Pininfarina, he was responsible for a number of icons including the Fiat 124 Spider, Ferrari 250 GT, Ferrari 288 GTO, and Lancia Beta Monte Carlo. More recently, he oversaw development of the Ferrari Enzo supercar and Maserati Quattroporte executive sedan as well.
Of all works, Sergio was particularly fond of the 1965 Dino Berlinetta Speciale, a concept vehicle that brought to life the mid-engine era for Ferrari.
For the auto industry, the loss of Sergio Pininfarina closes the chapter of an era where expressive design and provocative shapes were given free reign as engineers came to grips with the principles of aerodynamics. Sergio Pininfarina didn't just lend his hands to vehicles that could go very fast, he made them look fast even when they were standing still.
Sergio Pininfarina is survived by his wife, Giorgia, daughter Lorenza, and his son, Paolo, who had taken over the Pininfarina responsibilities as CEO in 2008.
Under the direction of Paolo, we're excited to see a new era of Pininfarina as the studio continues to pioneer automotive design. Check out a selection of vehicles penned by the Pininfarina design studio below:
