Sergio Pininfarina

Italian industrialist who chaired Pininfarina from 1966 to 2006 and assigned the Rolls-Royce Camargue project to chief stylist Paolo Martin.

Born Sergio Farina in Turin on 8 September 1926, he was the son of Battista “Pinin” Farina. He graduated in mechanical engineering from the Polytechnic of Turin in 1950 and joined Carrozzeria Pinin Farina. He oversaw the planning and construction of the Grugliasco works between 1955 and 1958, became general manager in 1960 and managing director in 1961, when the family surname became Pininfarina.

After Battista Pininfarina’s death in 1966, Sergio became chairman. That year the Studies and Research Centre at Grugliasco was inaugurated; the 1:1 wind tunnel began operation in 1972, the first in Italy. He served in the European Parliament from 1979 to 1988 and led Confindustria from 1988 to 1992. In 1981 he told the Christian Science Monitor that no drawing, design or style left the factory without his approval.

In October 1969 Rolls-Royce sent a Mulliner Park Ward two-door saloon to Pininfarina in Turin. Sergio Pininfarina assigned the Camargue project to chief stylist Paolo Martin; the design brief called for an owner-driver Rolls-Royce. The Delta prototype was on the road by July 1972, and Camargue was presented in March 1975. Appointed senator for life in 2005, he became honorary chairman in 2006 and died at his Turin home on 2 July 2012.