The Myth of Italian Coachbuilders: Pininfarina

Pininfarina is undoubtedly the most renowned Italian coachbuilder globally. There are many reasons for this. First, the historical origins: In 1930, Battista "Pinin" Farina founded the company in Turin, a city still strongly linked to the elegant and refined style of the House of Savoy. Turin was Italy's capital before Rome and everything representing excellence was born there. Carriages, sumptuous furnishings and the finest materials were a fresh memory of the city's traditions. This Savoyard imprint has characterized Pininfarina's early automobiles and remained a constant design feature over time. Surprisingly, this trait is recognizable even in the most innovative prototypes and concepts, such as the 1965 Dino Berlinetta Speciale and the 1970 Modulo.

The second reason for Pininfarina's symbol of Italian coachbuilding worldwide is its long and magnificent history with Ferrari models. As Sergio Pininfarina, Pinin's son and company leader from the 1960s until the early 2000s, said, "Enzo Ferrari always trusted us completely. He never intervened in our style proposals. He was mainly interested in the driver's seat and the interior. Knowing him, I always proposed cars with innovative but never revolutionary styles. He was rather conservative and the work we did together for over fifty years with this approach was a recognized success."