Broken Dreams: Ferrari Pinin. The Temptation of a Four-Door

When Enzo Ferrari and Battista “Pinin” Farina met for the first time in May 1951, halfway between Turin and Maranello, in the neutral territory of a restaurant in Tortona, Pinin’s young son, Sergio, was also there. Just four years after producing his first car, Ferrari had become famous, but his cars had not yet been bodied by Pininfarina. In order for Enzo and Pinin to meet — both proud of their successes — the two decided that neither would go to the other’s office and that the meeting would take place “on neutral ground”, as it was by no means certain that an agreement would be reached. And yet, an agreement was made, and an immediate one — one that led to countless successes, demonstrated by a series of magnificent Ferraris that over the years combined Maranello's mechanical excellence with the elegant and refined style of the Turin-based coachbuilder.

It is therefore no surprise that in 1980, in memory of his father Battista — whom everyone knew as Pinin — his son Sergio decided to propose something truly unprecedented to the great Enzo: for the first time in the brand’s history, a four-door Ferrari. And thus, the Pinin was born. It was built on an extended version of the 400GT chassis and powered by a mock-up of the flat-12 engine from the 512BB. For Enzo, it was a surprise—a sign that the maturity of Ferrari’s success could even allow it to venture into the world of large luxury sedans.