Sergio Pininfarina dead at 85

Jstas

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5ggyZN6ozCGIR401Z4p1KSp4aEZdw?docId=88f34e0cc38e477cba8aa9f95fd736e4

Former head of Ferrari design company dies at 85

(AP) ? 6 hours ago

ROME (AP) ? Sergio Pininfarina, who headed a family company known for its designs of sleek Ferraris and other cars, has died. He was 85.

The company said Tuesday Pininfarina died overnight at his home in Turin. No cause of death was given.

The company founded in 1930 has designed cars for Fiat, Alfa Romeo, Cadillac and Volvo but is most closely associated with Ferrari, designing nearly all of its models since the 1950s.

It ceased making car bodies in 2010 to focus on its design and engineering businesses.

Pininfarina took over as president in 1966, upon the death of his father. He stepped down to become honorary president in 2006 and was also named a senator for life.

He is survived by his wife and two children.

His designs were the inspiration for many a doodle in my grade school notebooks.

gwg_97

First Shelby and now Pininfarina. The car world will miss them.

billbillw

That man and his company created the styling for many of the sexiest cars every built. I'll have to go home and browse some old Car and Drivers tonight...

Jstas

gwg_97 wrote: »

First Shelby and now Pininfarina. The car world will miss them.

Ferdinand A. Porsche, designer of the 911 and grandson of the original Ferdinand Porsche died shortly before Shelby. Then Shelby and then Pininfarina.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferdinand_Alexander_Porsche

sda2mike

rip sergio....i'm a little confoosed...i thought the famous auto designer was : pinin farina..

gdb

I once owned a Fiat 850 Spyder that I think was his design. T'was a cute little roadster, with not enough power to get out of it's own way !

nooshinjohn

RIP Sergio. The imfamous Testa Rossa will always be the Ferrari I remember when I think of the brand.


FWIW... the 850 Spider was designed by Bertone.

soundfreak1

Actually had the pleasurw of meeting him some 25 years ago. Quite a gentleman. Sad very sad, now he is with Enzo again.

onebadchad

Damn.. whos gonna service my Ferrari?

heiney9

The sexiest car of all time and one I will probably never own because prices have sky rocketed in the past 10 years. One of his best ever, IMO.











Fully restored late spider version sell for $125,000-$200,000.

Here's a nice one I would love to own

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1971-FERRARI-246-GT-DINO-TARGA-TOP-RED-COLLECTOR-CLASSIC-RESTORED-FANTASTIC-/221057874336?pt=US_Cars_Trucks&hash=item33781379a0

H9

Jstas

sda2mike wrote: »

rip sergio....i'm a little confoosed...i thought the famous auto designer was : pinin farina..

Here, I don't feel like explaining.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pininfarina

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battista_Farina

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sergio_Pininfarina

Pininfarina S.p.A started by Battista Farina and run by Battista's son Sergio who just died today.

soundfreak1

Very nice DINO ( only ferrari made that did not have the rerrari name on it) named for his son after he died.

heiney9

soundfreak1 wrote: »

Very nice DINO ( only ferrari made that did not have the rerrari name on it) named for his son after he died.

Yep, but now it has full Ferrari heritage finally accepted as a "true" Ferrari. One of the main reasons it didn't carry the Ferrari name was because it had a 6 cyl. motor. At that time all Ferrari's had V-12's or V8's and Enzo wouldn't put the Ferrari name on a 6 cyl. car. It still remains as one of the best driver Ferrari's of all time. Certainly not the fastest but the most balanced, connected to the road and exhilirating to drive.

Actually the photo's don't do those sexy curves justice. I've seen them in person and actually sat in one and the curves are sexy and elegant and pretty much perfect, IMO. I could stare at the real thing for hours from any angle, it's just visually perfect, IMO.

H9

sda2mike

i like the dinoes too...they used to fly way under the radar...no more tho!

heiney9

sda2mike wrote: »

i like the dinoes too...they used to fly way under the radar...no more tho!

Ha..ha.. that's for sure. I remember when you could pick them up for $50-60K about 10-15 years ago. It seems as soon as Ferrari and the car historians finally agreed it was a full blooded Ferarri the prices soared and haven't come down.

Sure there are blindingly faster Ferrari's, more outrageous looking Ferrari's and certainly more technologically advanced Ferrari's but the 246 Dino just has that classic look that never goes away and from what I've read over the years is an absolute blast to drive, one of the most balanced and well sorted out Ferrari's period when it comes to carving up a mountain pass or the race track.

H9

nooshinjohn

I could have bought a Dino 15 years ago for 18k. It was pretty rough but it was a running and driving car. I kick myself over that one.

***wrong on the time frame... it was closer to 25 tears ago now. God where does the time go?***

MillerLiteScott

Love the Dino!

newrival

A hell of a designer. He was part of quite a legacy, as their company made, and saved, many a car brand. Most recently hyundai.

soundfreak1

Im inpressed h9, not many would know that! it just lile the mid-engine layout he refused to consider it untill lotus started kicking his **** in F1. Than he didnt look back.farrari's have never (in my opin.) been a good handling car, quite scarry in fact at speed. Ive driven a couple dozen diff. Models. Both on and off the track when i sold them but nobody could beat the "prancing pony". But i do agree the DINO was one was one of the more drivable cars he ever made. The worst was the 57 testerrosa, that car was terrorizing to drive.

soundfreak1

I do still believe the Lambo MURA is the most beautifull car ever made!

Jstas

No, most beautiful car is the Jaguar XK-E or E-Type.

nooshinjohn

Malcolm Sayer knocked that one out of the park^^^

I would also put the 1963 Corvette SWC in with that company, But my all yime beauties are anything that sat on a Duesenberg model "J" chassis.