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After the unfortunate death of Pininfarina's boss in a road accident on Thursday, we take a look at some of the Italian design firms most iconic work.
The grim mood in the Italian auto design industry turned a grey shade closer to black this week with the death of Pininfarina’s boss, Andrea Pininfarina.
The grandson of the company's founder, Battista "Pinin" Farina, was killed on Thursday while commuting to work on his scooter.
The news follows on the bankruptcy protection arrangement Bertone announced late last year, after doing the unspeakable and giving up its booth at the Geneva Motor Show.
Once the design centre of all things aesthetic in the automobile world, Italy’s design houses have been caught off guard by the evaporation of once lucrative design contracts.
Add to this the odd counterbalance of a collapsing US auto industry and therise of Chinese manufacturers – who consider design aesthetic in the same vein as their products build quality – and it appears the perfect storm has settled upon Italian design houses.
Bertone appears to be resuscitating itself with new global design studios after a severe restructuring plan late last year.
However, Pininfarina is seeing falling demand for its services from major car makers.
As an ode to everythingthat is great about Italian auto designers, and specifically the company Andrea Pininfarina headed, we look back at five famous cars penned by the house of Pininfarina.
Maserati Quattroporte (2004-)
Four-door performance sedans come no more distinctive or able than this.
It makes Audi’s S8 look too clinical and Mercedes-Benz’s S63 seem positively crass. Still the ultimate statement in four-door grand touring chic.
Ferrari 288 GTO (1984-1985)
During the 1980s, garish design dominated supercar aesthetic. Then Pininfarina designed the preciously proportioned 288 GTO, a version of the 308 GTO necessitated by Group B racing homologation.
With a near-perfect blend of rakish aggression and tapered elegance, the 2.8-litre turbocharged V8 288 GTO appeared in extremely limited numbers – only 272 were produced. Each one though, was a masterpiece.
Peugeot 406 Coupe (1995-2004)
It would seem nearly sacrilegious to include a late model Pug amongst Pininfarina’s greatest designs, but in all honestly, has there been a prettier sedan-based Coupe (A5 excluded) in the last 15 years?
It looked like a smaller Ferrari 456GT, and retailed for only a bit more than a fully loaded 406 sedan.
Maserati GranTurismo (2007-)
Just look at it. Words fail us - pure Pininfarina.
Alfa Romeo Giulietta Spider (1955)
If ever there was a car which embodied the joyful spirit of minimalist Italian open-topped motoring, the achingly pretty little Alfa was it.
The list of Pininfarina'scaptivating designs is so illustrious and lengthy one effortlessly excusesthe design housefor visiting the Ferrari 612 and Daewoo Tacuma upon us.
The grim mood in the Italian auto design industry turned a grey shade closer to black this week with the death of Pininfarina’s boss, Andrea Pininfarina.
The grandson of the company's founder, Battista "Pinin" Farina, was killed on Thursday while commuting to work on his scooter.
The news follows on the bankruptcy protection arrangement Bertone announced late last year, after doing the unspeakable and giving up its booth at the Geneva Motor Show.
Once the design centre of all things aesthetic in the automobile world, Italy’s design houses have been caught off guard by the evaporation of once lucrative design contracts.
Add to this the odd counterbalance of a collapsing US auto industry and therise of Chinese manufacturers – who consider design aesthetic in the same vein as their products build quality – and it appears the perfect storm has settled upon Italian design houses.
Bertone appears to be resuscitating itself with new global design studios after a severe restructuring plan late last year.
However, Pininfarina is seeing falling demand for its services from major car makers.
As an ode to everythingthat is great about Italian auto designers, and specifically the company Andrea Pininfarina headed, we look back at five famous cars penned by the house of Pininfarina.
Maserati Quattroporte (2004-)
Four-door performance sedans come no more distinctive or able than this.
It makes Audi’s S8 look too clinical and Mercedes-Benz’s S63 seem positively crass. Still the ultimate statement in four-door grand touring chic.
Ferrari 288 GTO (1984-1985)
During the 1980s, garish design dominated supercar aesthetic. Then Pininfarina designed the preciously proportioned 288 GTO, a version of the 308 GTO necessitated by Group B racing homologation.
With a near-perfect blend of rakish aggression and tapered elegance, the 2.8-litre turbocharged V8 288 GTO appeared in extremely limited numbers – only 272 were produced. Each one though, was a masterpiece.
Peugeot 406 Coupe (1995-2004)
It would seem nearly sacrilegious to include a late model Pug amongst Pininfarina’s greatest designs, but in all honestly, has there been a prettier sedan-based Coupe (A5 excluded) in the last 15 years?
It looked like a smaller Ferrari 456GT, and retailed for only a bit more than a fully loaded 406 sedan.
Maserati GranTurismo (2007-)
Just look at it. Words fail us - pure Pininfarina.
Alfa Romeo Giulietta Spider (1955)
If ever there was a car which embodied the joyful spirit of minimalist Italian open-topped motoring, the achingly pretty little Alfa was it.
The list of Pininfarina'scaptivating designs is so illustrious and lengthy one effortlessly excusesthe design housefor visiting the Ferrari 612 and Daewoo Tacuma upon us.