Sergio Pininfarina has passed away at age 85 today. He was born in Turin, Italy on September 8, 1926. He joined his father, Battista Farina, at Carrozzeria Pininfarina where he oversaw car designs. Pininfarina is widely known for their work with Ferraris. In 1961, the family’s surname was changed to Pininfarina in order to match the companies name. This was done by decree of the Italian president. Not only did he work with the automotive industry, he also had his hand in politics. He was a member of the European Parliament and was named Senator for life of the Italian Republic.
One of the best tributes to the Pinifarina family, and Sergio himself, is the Ferrari 599 SA Aperta which was made to commemorate Sergio and his son Andrea (hence the SA for Sergio and Andrea). This car is powered by the GTO’s brutal 6.0-liter V12, making it not only a very stylish car but a extraordinarily fast car as well. It is also worth mentioning that only 80 units of this car were made.
