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Sergio Pininfarina and his contribution to the modern automobile - a look back

Name: Alfa Romeo Spider 1966
Brand: Alfa Romeo

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Created on August 6, 2012

Text:

Stefan Fritschi

Photos:

Daniel Reinhard

Bruno von Rotz

Archiv

127

Daniel Reinhard

Bruno von Rotz

Archiv

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Pininfarina (1974) - Advertising from 1974 -

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Sergio Pininfarina liked to drive himself - taken in 2005

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Sergio Pininfarina at the steering wheel of one of his favorite designs, the Lancia Flaminia - photographed in 2005

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Sergio Pininfarina - photographed in 2005

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Sergio Pininfarina in front of one of his products - photographed in 2005

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Alfa Romeo 8 C 2900 B Cabriolet (1939) - an early Pininfarina special body

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Alfa Romeo 6 C 2500 SS Cabriolet (1947) - the Pininfarina design also cuts a fine figure when closed

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Alfa Romeo 6 C 2500 SS Cabriolet (1947) - simple shapes by Pininfarina

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Ferrari 212 Coupé (1952) - classic proportions of the Pininfarina Coupé

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Ferrari 212 Coupé (1952) - Pininfarina Coupé

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Alfa Romeo 1900 C Coupé (1953) - a Pininfarina design

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Alfa Romeo 1900 C Coupé (1953) - pretty, tightly cut coupé by Pininfarina

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Alfa Romeo 1900 C Coupé (1953) - in the Pininfarina Museum in 2005

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Ferrari 250 Europa GT Coupé (1954) - Pininfarina bodyworked many 250 chassis

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Nash Healey (1952) - pretty convertible, designed in the Pininfarina studios

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Nash Healey (1952) - an extraordinarily elegant cabriolet clad by Pininfarina, the first open-top sports car of American origin in many years

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Ferrari 250 GT Coupé (1954) - simple elegance in this 250 Coupé by Pininfarina

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Ferrari 250 GT Europa Coupé (1954) - Pininfarina lines on this 250 Coupé

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Ferrari 375 MM (1954) - this Pininfarina creation was breathtaking and ahead of its time

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Ferrari 375 MM (1954) - impressive front design of the Pininfarina Coupé

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Ferrari 375 MM (1954) - certainly one of Pininfarina's most impressive creations

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Ferrari 375 MM (1954) - Pininfarina combined many stylistic elements here

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Fiat 1100 TV Coupé (1954) - Elegance in miniature by Pininfarina

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Fiat 1100 TV Coupé (1954) - interesting design by Pininfarina

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Lancia Aurelia Cabriolet PF 200 (1954) - Concours d'Elégance - the Pininfarina convertible perfectly staged

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Lancia Aurelia Cabriolet PF 200 (1954) - Concours d'Elégance, 'Rose d'Or' in 1954

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Lancia Aurelia Coupé PF 200 (1954) - Pininfarina design - here still with the fully glazed coupé roof

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Fiat 1100 TV Coupé (1955) - exhibited at the Geneva Motor Show in 1955, Pininfarina design

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Fiat 1100 TV Coupé (1955) - exhibited at the 1955 Geneva Motor Show, Pininfarina Coupé

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Fiat 8V (1955) - breathtaking elegance of the Pininfarina design

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Fiat 8V (1955) - Pininfarina coupé, exhibited at the 1955 Turin Motor Show

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Ferrari 250 GT Coupé (1956) - one of Pininfarina's prototypes

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Ferrari 375 AM Cabriolet (1956) - elegant creation by Pininfarina

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Ferrari 410 SA Coupé (1956) - Pininfarina design

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Jaguar Mark VII Coupé (1956) - an early Jaguar study by Pininfarina

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Lancia Aurelia B 20 Coupé (1956) - Limited production, simple elegance by Pininfarina

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Buick Lido (1957) - the Pininfarina coupé at the 1957 Turin Motor Show

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Buick Lido (1957) - straight lines and lots of glass in this Pininfarina design

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Buick Lido (1957) - special bodywork by Pininfarina

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Maserati A6 1500 Coupé Pininfarina (1947) - at the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este 2012 - Category 'C - The Art of Streamlining'

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Lancia Florida (1956) - the third prototype by Pininfarina, more coupé-oriented, but again with four doors

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Lancia Florida (1955) - the second Pininfarina prototype in the Flaminia direction - this time with four doors

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Fiat 1200 Coupé (1957) - this Pininfarina design already breathes the American spirit

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Fiat 1200 Coupé (1957) - pretty 2+2-seater coupé by Pininfarina

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Fiat 1200 Spider (1959) - the new convertible on the Pininfarina stand at the 1959 Geneva Motor Show

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Alfa Romeo 2000 Coupé 2+2 (1958) - still in keeping with Pininfarina's trapezoidal lines

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Pininfarina (1959) - Advertisement from 1959 -

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Pininfarina X Concept (1960) - as if from another era - Pininfarina prototype exhibited at the Turin Motor Show in 1960

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Austin A40 (1959) - the line was designed by Pininfarina

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Ferrari 400 SA Superamerica Coupé (1962) - one of the first folding headlight coupés from Pininfarina

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Alfa Romeo Giulia Spider (1962) - Masterful lines by Pininfarina

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Alfa Romeo Giulia Spider (1964) - there was hardly anything to improve on this Pininfarina creation

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Lancia Flavia Coupé (1962) - elegant, compact coupé by Pininfarina

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Lancia Flavia Coupé (1962) - practical coupé, design by Pininfarina

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Lancia Flavia Coupé (1963) - in the Pininfarina style of the time

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Pininfarina (1964) - Advertising from 1964 -

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Lancia Flaminia Coupé 2.8 Pininfarina (1963) - a highly elegant one-off

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Lancia Flaminia Coupé 2.8, Pininfarina (1963) - presented at the 1963 Turin Motor Show

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Lancia Flaminia Coupé Pininfarina (1963) - at the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este 2012 - Category 'G - La Dolce Vita'

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Alfa Romeo 2600 Coupé Speciale Pininfarina (1963) - exemplary elegance

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Alfa Romeo 2600 Coupé Speciale Pininfarina (1963) - extremely elegant coupé

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Alfa Romeo 2600 Coupé Speciale Pininfarina (1963) - typical Pininfarina silhouette

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Alfa Romeo 2600 Coupé Speciale Pininfarina (1963) - beautifully shaped

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Chevrolet Corvette Rondine (1963) - Pininfarina created perhaps the most elegant Corvette ever

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Fiat 2300 Coupé Speciale Lausanne 1964 (1963) - the Pininfarina Coupé was even more elegant than the standard version

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Alfa Romeo Guilia Sport 1600 Coupé Speciale 2 Posti (1965) - breathtaking coupé study by Pininfarina

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Mercedes-Benz 230 SL Coupé Speciale Pininfarina (1964) - Pininfarina's idea of a German sports car

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Bentley Coupé Pininfarina (1969) - Pininfarina's design for a two-door coupé remained a one-off

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Chevrolet Corvair Speciale (1960) - various designers used the Corvair platform for special bodies - here a successful version by Pininfarina

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Ferrari 250 LM (1965) - slightly civilized version by Pininfarina at the 1965 Geneva Motor Show

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Ferrari 330 GT Coupé 2+2 (1965) - once again a Pininfarina design, from the hand of Tom Tjaarda

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Alfa Romeo Duetto (1966) - the round-tail spider from Pininfarina

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Ferrari 330 GTC Coupé 2 Posti (1966) - simple lines, great elegance in this design by Pininfarina

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Ferrari 365 P Berlinetta Special, 3 Posti (1966) - Mid-engined coupé, designed by Pininfarina

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Ferrari 365P Berlinetta (1966) - the early predecessor of the BB - Pininfarina's provocative study of a mid-engined sports car with three seats, central steering and 12 cylinders

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Ferrari 400 Superamerica Aerodynamic Pininfarina (1962) - at the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este 2012 - Category 'G - La Dolce Vita'

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Ferrari California Cabriolet Speciale 2 Posti (1966) - large convertible by Pininfarina

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Fiat Dino 2000 Spider (1966) - front-engined spider with Pininfarina design

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Ferrari 365 GT 2+2 (1967) - Pininfarina design, described by Road & Track as the "Queen Mother" of all Ferraris

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Fiat 124 Sport Spider (1966) - Pininfarina created timeless elegance with this convertible

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Dino Berlinetta Speciale Due Posti (1965) - chassis number 0840 was given an impressive Pininfarina livery and was the forerunner of the later Dino 206/246

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Dino 206 Berlinetta Competizione (1967) - chassis number 034 with Pininfarina dress and gullwing doors

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Dino 206 Competizione (1967) - in the Pininfarina Museum in 2005

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Dino 206 GT (1968) - rear view of the two-seater coupé

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Dino 206 GT (1968) - advertising photo by Pinin Farina

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Fiat Dino Berlinetta Pininfarina (1967) - remained a concept car

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Fiat Dino Spider 2000 (1967) - Pininfarina creation also elegant with hardtop

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Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Berlinetta (1968) - the early models had the headlights under Plexiglas - Pininfarina design

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Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Berlinetta (1968) - powerful rear view of the Pininfarina coupé

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Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Berlinetta (1968) - long front, short rear - this is how a GT should look, even at Pininfarina

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Pininfarina Alfa Romeo P 33 Roadster G.S. (1968) - Pininfarina's design was extremely wedge-shaped for the time and definitely took some getting used to

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Pininfarina Alfa Romeo 33 Prototipo Speziale (1969) - the beautiful silhouette of Pininfarina's exciting design on the Alfa Romeo 33 chassis

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Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Coupé Special (1969) - Pininfarina special bodywork

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Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona (1969) - powerful Pininfarina design, characterized by the dividing line in the middle

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Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona (1969) - Later model with folding headlights, Pininfarina design

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Fiat-Abarth 1000 Special Coupé, Pininfarina (1965) - International Motor Show (IAA) in Frankfurt 1965 - Flap at the OT

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Ferrari 365 GTS 4 Spider (1969) - the open Ferrari cost DM 61,800 in 1969, the price of a detached house - great work by Pininfarina

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Ferrari 365 GTS 4 Spider (1969) - World premiere of the Pininfarina-designed convertible

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Ferrari 512 S Berlinetta Speciale (1969) - impressive wedge shape by Pininfarina

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Ferrari 512 S Berlinetta Speciale (1969) - certainly one of Pininfarina's most spectacular designs

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Ferrari 512 S Berlinetta Speciale (1969) - super sporty appearance of the Pininfarina prototype

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Ferrari 512 S Berlinetta Speciale (1969) - front view of the Pininfarina prototype

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Ferrari 512 S Berlinetta Speciale (1969) - Rear view of the Pininfarina prototype

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Fiat 130 Coupé (1971) - very elegant coupé, designed by Pininfarina

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Fiat Dino 2400 Spider (1969) - the larger version differed only in details, hardly anything was changed in the Pininfarina design

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Alfa Romeo 1750 Spider Veloce (1970) - the open Alfa was one of the longest-produced Pininfarina designs

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Alfa Romeo 1750 Spider (1970) - the original round rear by Pininfarina later gave way to a straight rear end

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Ferrari 365 GTC4 Coupé (1971) - this Pininfarina design breathes the spirit of the seventies

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Ferrari 365 GTC4 Coupé (1971) - Silhouette of this Pininfarina design close to the Daytona

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Ferrari 365 GTC4 Coupé (1971) - Interior of the 2+2-seater front-engined coupé, Pininfarina design

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Ferrari 512 S 'Modulo' (1970) - futuristic concept car by Pininfarina

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Ferrari BB Berlinetta Boxer at the 1972 Geneva Motor Show - a beautiful Pininfarina creation already known from Turin

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Ferrari 365 GT4 2+2 (1972) - classic Pininfarina elegance in the four-seater Ferrari

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Ferrari 365 GT4 2+2 (1972) - Pininfarina design, the three rear lights were typical stylistic elements of the time

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Ferrari 365 GT4 2+2 (1972) - Pininfarina design from a bird's eye view

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Ferrari 365 GT4 2+2 (1972) - classic interior in the Pininfarina Coupé

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Ferrari 365 GT 4 BB (1975) - unchanged attractive

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Abarth SE 030 (1974) - modeled on the famous Periscopo sports car by Abarth, Pininfarina design

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Abarth SE 030 (1974) - special version by Pininfarina based on the Montecarlo

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Alfa Romeo Spider Veloce (1976) - on the Pininfarina stand at the Geneva Motor Show

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Peugeot 504 Coupé (1976) - Pininfarina production - 'Nuovo Reparto Finitura Scocche'

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Pininfarina Elektro (1978) - electric vehicle study by Pininfarina shown at the Turin Motor Show

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Pininfarina Elektro (1978) - Chassis of the electric car shown in Turin

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Jaguar XJ 12 PF (1973) - shown for the first time at the Paris Motor Show - the Pininfarina variant for the big Jaguar - here as a sketch

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Jaguar XJ 12 PF (1973) - elegant and simple lines

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Jaguar XJ 12 PF (1973) - stretched and elegant lines - but where is the English spirit?

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Jaguar XJ 12 PF (1973) - Pininfarina also took care of the interior

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Jaguar XJ 12 PF (1973) - the radiator grille is actually the only recognizable element

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Jaguar XJ 12 PF (1973) - publicity shot by Pininfarina

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Lancia Gamma Pininfarina (1982) - All Pininfarina Gamma variants - Olgiata (1982), Scala (1980), Spider (1978) and Coupé (1976)

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Lancia Gamma Spider Pininfarina (1978) - no production chances for this concept car

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Lancia Gamma Olgiata, Pininfarina (1982) - Pininfarina's proposal for an up-market HPE

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Audi Quartz - Pininfarina masterpiece based on the Audi Quattro at the 1981 Geneva Motor Show

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Audi Quartz - the styling study by Pininfarina from behind

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Ferrari Pinin Berlina (1980) - 50th anniversary prototype, presented at the 1980 Turin Motor Show

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Summary

Sergio Pininfarina, one of the most famous designers and coachbuilders of all time, passed away on July 3, 2012. In the meantime, the obituaries knitted with a hot needle have died down and it is time to take a closer look at his work and his career. This report summarizes the extensive creative period of Sergio Pininfarina and is illustrated with a selection of beautiful, special, but also particularly rarely seen designs, in the sense of an extensive (with over 130 illustrations) and in this composition probably also unique exhibition of his work.

This article contains the following chapters

Self-supporting bodywork makes the Carozzerias obsolete
Sergio Pininfarina: "I have only designed one car myself"
Close links with renowned manufacturers
The step across the Atlantic
Pininfarina uniform look instead of brand identity?
Brand DNA is also missing in prototypes and concept cars
BMC 1800 as a blueprint for Rover SD 1
Experts at work - good for the customer
Savior of niche vehicles
The clock does not stand still
Production cars (selection)
Concept cars and special bodies (selection)
Further information

Estimated reading time: 9min

Preview (beginning of the article)

Sergio Pininfarina died on July 3, 2012. In the meantime, the obituaries knitted with a hot needle have died down and it is time to take a closer look at his work and career. On May 22, 1930, Sergio's father Battista "Pinin" Farina founded a company called "Carozzeria Pinin Farina", which was involved in the design and manufacture of car bodies. This was at a time when many car manufacturers usually only supplied the engine and chassis and the customer had a body tailored to their wishes. One popular example was the Alfa Romeo 8C, which was freely available from 1931 (before that it was only sold to racing teams). The 8C chassis was built by Alfa Romeo itself, but also by famous names such as Touring, Castagna, Zagato, Brianza and of course Pininfarina. In Switzerland, it was possible to have a body "tailored" by Graber or Worblaufen and in France by Figoni.

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