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Pininfarina’s greatest car designs
The 20 greatest car designs of Pininfarina
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Sergio Pininfarina, arguably the world's greatest ever car designer, passed away on 2 July 2012, aged 85. Now, to celebrate the great man's work, a new exhibition is opening at the Museo Ferrari in Maranello which looks back at his numerous successful colaborations with Italy's more evocative car brand.
Le grandi Ferrari di Sergio Pininfarina (Sergio Pininfarina's great Ferraris) -opens its doors to the public on October 27th but in case you can't make it to Maranello, we're offering you the chance to gaze in wonder at some of the most beautiful cars ever made right here. What follows is our pick of Sergio Pininfarina's greatest car designs.
Elegance is what Pininfarina has always been about. While others like Zagato chased spectacle, or like Giugiaro pursued cutting-edge simplicity, Pininfarina's designs embodied classical elegance and an unerring sense of proportion.
He developed a particularly close relationship with Ferrari, and almost all Ferraris of the modern era have carried Pininfarina's little blue 'f' badge with a crown on top. Alfa Romeo, Fiat, Peugeot, Honda, Rolls-Royce and many others followed.
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42Comments
05/07/2012 13:05
24/07/2012 03:29
05/07/2012 21:01
05/07/2012 12:27
06/07/2012 16:32
06/07/2012 13:57
Re: Aiden
Stop just stop!!
I came to this page to look at nice cars, if i want to know about the High Frequency Active Auroral Research Program, 9/11, 7/7, who killed Princess Di, the mind controlling jet vapour or any of the other things that the aliens that have taken over our governments are up to i'll be sure to check it out, but for now if you could go somewhere else to talk about Tower 7 or whatever is the focus of today's nerd rant that would be much appreciated. oh and if you could take Mr/Miss i'm so lonely and i've found this great dating site with you that might possibly earn you a friend or two.
07/07/2012 07:31
06/07/2012 00:21
Some great car designs, thank you Farina, a few not too good. I sometimes have wished I had been designing cars, rather than buildings as an Architect; A more detailed and precise industry than the usually rather crude building trade. My 'glass boxes' and the like, satisfied me and my tastes, but not the uk dreadful new housing estates, which could be 'mistaken' as 100 years old, industrial era buildings. Shame. But it is the lack of educating the 'general public' to better 'modern' design, both in building as well as cars, furniture, etc. Well done designers, such as FARINA, and a few others for trying to educate the public towards good design, as Sweedon, Germany, ltaly and a few others, have done, I consider.. i tried during my working life. A shame most do what the public want, rather than encourage better and good design. Sorry Chaps but 'the few; can't change the world.
05/07/2012 12:59
A Pininfarina Bristol convertible, which I was told was one of only two in the world, was used, 40 odd years ago to carry the 'Rag Queen' in the procession at Leeds University. This car was maintained in pristine condition in the underground car park of Headrow House, Leeds and even the copper fuel pipes were highly polished! Ive often wondered what became of the vehicle, because it certainly deserved to be in some museum.
05/07/2012 19:37
I really enjoyed this tribute and the intelligent commentary that went with it. Particularly liked the comment about the absence of elegance today compared with the cool restraint of the Flaminia. Glad to see you included more than just the more obvious Ferraris too - much as I love them. Still would have found a spot for the Fiat 130 coupe though...
05/07/2012 16:39
15/10/2012 11:49
15/10/2012 14:07
20/10/2012 11:15
15/10/2012 21:28
Look deeper.
While I agree that Pininfarina IS a great name (I have had two, a Lancia Flavia and Austin Cambridge, yes, really !), he was a great STYLIST, NOT a designer.
The REAL designers are the Engineers that do not get the credit because us "plebs" do not see further than a car's skin.
1-2mm is as shallow as you can get.
Peace.
15/10/2012 15:58
15/10/2012 11:49
05/07/2012 21:56
When is Joe public going to wake up to reality, some of these cars are awful look ridiculous, but to here the so called experts say they are marvellous ........... wake up people and smell the coffee they are crap!
I've been in the automotive design and manufacture for over 46 years and the run of the mill production cars are equally as good, sorry they are better than these supercars at their extortionate prices 5 times + a production model.
All cars have to meet not only high design standards but legislation so a body shell hand built or production built all meet standards and the high production vehicles is repetitive with their jigs and fixtures unlike tweeks of hand built, the same applies to engine machining and components they all meet the high standards and its normally these hi-performance cars that breakdown!
Oh and try different Marques Ford or the blue oval badge isn't the best I've had two new Fords and they were total crap, Renault were good although the other two Frenchies had electrical issues after 3 years, but all had excellent power units, Mercedes/VW the best of the Germans, BMW terribly overated, Audi okish and Vauxhall/Opel a reasonably good reliable choice and I cannot comment on Japanese vehicles as I've never owned or driven them ......... and remember you can always buy a Friday build, but it's not as common as you are led to believe .....
07/07/2012 01:18
Mr. P shaped more than cars.
First I am sorry to say that I did not know Sergio Pininfarina had died. On the Automotive Styling field he was a Titan, and his work affected at least two generations of my family.
My father had an Austin Cambridge estate that he would loan me so I could entice the ladies (and I DO mean Ladies) who were won over with its dining room verticle leather seats and would fiddle with the knob, turning the radio up and down.
Ahhh, happy days.
Then I had a BEAUTIFUL Lancia Flavia Pininfarina Coupe (very rare), with the sweetest flat-four 1800cc engine, and a propensity for the power brakes to give up the retardation ghost at the most awkward of times.
Ahhh. More happy days.
God bless you Mr. P. You made my life exciting and beautiful all at the same time.
Peace.
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