IN MEMORY OF ANDREA: IN THE NAME OF CONTINUITY
The Paris “Mondial de l’Automobile” 2008 opens its doors less than two months after the death of Andrea Pininfarina, Chairman and Chief Executive of Pininfarina SpA, victim of a tragic road accident on August 7, 2008.
For Pininfarina this “Mondial” is the first motor show without Andrea and that is why the cars displayed on the Pininfarina stand are dedicated to his memory: the Ferrari California, the development of whose design Andrea had followed personally, and the electric car developed jointly with the Bolloré Group, which is here given its world preview as a concept car, a project in which Andrea believed profoundly.
In the name of company continuity and notwithstanding their devastating loss, on 12 August last, with great sense of responsibility, the Board of Directors of Pininfarina SpA appointed Paolo Pininfarina Chairman of Pininfarina S.p.A., with responsibility for Design and Pininfarina Extra, and Lorenza Pininfarina Deputy Chairman of Pininfarina S.p.A., with responsibility for Communications.
In addition, two managers were coopted who, with the support of the advisors Banca Rotschild and Roland Berger, had worked closely with Andrea Pininfarina in the preparation of the company’s industrial and financial plan: Silvio Pietro Angori, COO, with responsibility for all operating activities, the implementation of the industrial plan and responsibility for all the subsidiaries (with the exception of Pininfarina Extra) and Gianfranco Albertini, Chief Financial Officer, with responsibility for Finance and Administration.
Paolo Pininfarina’s first words as Chairman were addressed to Andrea. They were words dictated by indescribable grief through which, however, the new Chairman’s unwavering determination to continue Andrea’s work shone through, in the name of company continuity. “In meeting today for the first time without your guidance, with my sister and the entire Board of Directors”, Paolo Pininfarina said, “we bear witness to those values of integrity, humility and loyalty that you always professed with the courage and discretion of the man of action. The Board of Directors takes these values to heart with the firm intention that Pininfarina will never forget your contribution and will never cease to abide by the guiding principles you laid down for the development and success of the company.”
Paolo Pininfarina, Chairman Pininfarina S.p.A
Born in Turin on 28 August 1958. Graduated in Mechanical Engineering at Turin Polytechnic, in 1982 he began his working career with Pininfarina. In 1983 he spent a training period in the USA with Cadillac and then in Japan with Honda. From 1984 to 1986 he was Quality and Reliability Manager in the Cadillac Allanté program. From 1987 to 1989 he was Program Manager in the GM 200 Engineering program at General Motors. In 1987 he was appointed Chairman and Managing Director of Pininfarina Extra, the Pininfarina Group company that operates in the sectors of industrial design, furnishing and boating. In 2006 he was appointed Vice Chairman of Pininfarina S.p.A. On 12 August 2008 he was appointed Chairman of Pininfarina S.p.A., with responsibility for Design and for Pininfarina Extra.
Lorenza Pininfarina, Deputy Chairman Pininfarina S.p.A
Born in Turin on 23 August 1952, graduated in Business Administration specialising in Marketing. Training period in the USA in Detroit in 1979, from 1980 to 1987 she was part of the Europe office of the Industrialists Union of Turin. In 1987 she joined Pininfarina with growing responsibilities until 2003 when she became Head of the Press Office, Head of Communications and Image, and Vice Chairman responsible for Brand Strategy. Since 1987 she has been on the board of Pininfarina S.p.A. and since 1995 of Pininfarina Extra. In 2000 she won the Marisa Bellisario Mela d’Oro Award in the businesswomen’s section as the best Italian communications manager of the year. Since 2004 she has been a freelance journalist and columnist on the daily newspaper La Repubblica. Since 2002 she has been President of the Coachbuilders Group of Anfia (the Italian Car Manufacturers Association) of which, since 2006, she has been Vice President. On 12 August 2008 she was appointed Deputy Chairman of Pininfarina S.p.A. with responsibility for Communications.
Silvio Pietro Angori, COO Pininfarina S.p.A
Born in Castiglione del Lago (Perugia) on 29 June 1961. Graduated in Theoretical Physics at the “La Sapienza” University in Rome, he obtained a Master’s Degree in Business Administration at the Graduate School of Business of the University of Chicago (USA). From 1989 to 1990 he worked at Agusta Helicopters as researcher in aerodynamics. From 1990 to 1994 he was Senior Researcher at the Centro Ricerche Fiat where he was involved in engines and vehicle systems with various responsibilities, including management of the teams occupied in Product Development and the programmes funded by the State and by the European Community. From 1994 to 2006 he worked in Arvin Meritor Inc, one of the world’s top twenty companies in components and the supply of sub-systems for cars and light commercial vehicles. In thirteen years with Arvin Meritor, Angori filled various managerial posts, from Research and Development Manager to Business Development Manager, right up to Managing Director and General Manager of Global Divisions. On 1 January 2007, he joined Pininfarina S.p.A. as COO. On 12 August 2008 he was coopted on to the Board of Directors of the company which made him responsible for all the company’s operating activities, the implementation of the industrial plan and responsibility for all subsidiaries (except Pininfarina Extra).
Gianfranco Albertini, Chief Financial Officer Pininfarina S.p.A
Gianfranco Albertini was born in Turin on 9 February 1958. He graduated in Economics and Commerce at Turin University. His working life began in 1979 at Telettra Spa, the Fiat Group’s telecommunications company where he was involved in management control. He joined Pininfarina S.p.A. in 1983 in the Finance and Internal Audit Department, concerning himself with cash and liquidity and managing the project to quote the company on the Stock Exchange. Over the years he has filled various positions in Group operating companies. In 1994 he became Administrative and Finance Manager of Industrie Pininfarina S.p.A., in 2000 he became Brand Manager responsible for the Mitsubishi client, in 2002 he became Finance and Company Affairs Director of Pininfarina S.p.A., in addition to secretary of the Board and manager responsible for the drafting of company accounting documents. On 12 August 2008 he was coopted on to the Board of Directors. Since 1997 Gianfranco Albertini has been a member of the Technical Committee of Fidia S.p.A., the management company of the real estate investment trust Pridentia, owned by Banca IntesaSanPaolo, Mediobanca and Unicredit. Albertini is also a member of the Boards of Directors of the Pininfarina Group companies: Pininfarina Deutschland, Pininfarina Sverige (joint venture with Volvo), VEPB (joint venture with the Bolloré Group), Pininfarina Extra and of the other Group companies under Pininfarina Extra.
PININFARINA: IN THE SPOTLIGHT AT THE “MONDIAL DE L’AUTOMOBILE”
Pininfarina comes to Paris as a protagonist, confirming its status as one of the most important global players in automotive services.
The electric car concept, developed jointly with the Bolloré Group and making its world debut here, is dedicated to the memory of Andrea Pininfarina who was a firm believer in the project.
The car’s design is the work of the Pininfarina Design Department, led by Lowie Vermeersch.
Vermeersch was born in Kortrijk (Belgium) on 9 May 1974. In 1997 he graduated in Engineering and Industrial Design at the University of Delft. He joined Pininfarina straight after his degree and has contributed to the design of numerous production models and concept cars, like the Nido (2004) which won the Compasso d’Oro 2008. In 2005 Vermeersch became Chief Designer, continuing to oversee production cars for big customers (Ferrari, Peugeot, Jac) and concept cars (Maserati Birdcage 75th). In 2007 he was appointed Design Director. Noteworthy among the most recent projects coordinated by Lowie Vermeersch, who answers directly to Chairman Paolo Pininfarina, are the Sintesi (2008) concept and the Ferrari California (2008).
Alongside the electric concept car, Paris will be showing the latest Ferrari and Maserati models whose styling was either developed fully or partly by Pininfarina. These cars, symbols of Italian manufacturing in the world, are veritable styling and technology icons.
Ferrari California
The Pininfarina stand is showing a Ferrari California, the first coupé-cabriolet to come out of Maranello, which is taking its first bow in Paris. Like all Ferraris for more than half a century, the styling of this car is also the result of collaboration with Pininfarina.
“In January 2005”, said Paolo Pininfarina Chairman of Pininfarina S.p.A., “Ferrari asked us to develop the styling of a completely new product that was to became a milestone in the historic collaboration between our two companies. The brief was to develop a berlinetta with front-mounted 8-cylinder engine in a 2+ configuration, characterised by a feature that had never appeared on a Ferrari before: the retractable hard roof which made this car a coupé-cabriolet. Well aware of the difficulties of handling such demanding features stylistically we opted right from the first styling proposals for a classical set-up with sculpted volumes underscored by taut, muscular surfaces abounding in references to the Ferrari brand identity”.
The side panel stands out for the rake of the bonnet which is set off structurally by the volume of the tail and backward cabin. Ribbing, like a straining tendon underlines this optical effect which, at the level of the door handles, rises to define a muscular wing. A play of concave surfaces lightens the masses visually compressed between the driving position and the rear wing, where the hard top in open position is housed. With similar counterpoint between concave and convex surfaces an air outlet has been obtained at the level of the front wing, a classical graphic and functional element of many historic Ferrari’s.
The front expresses certain themes already proclaimed by the side panel, harmoniously alternating concave and convex volumes. The wing volumes and vertical lighting clusters lie on the concave surfaces, symmetrically with the tail. In the parabola model, where the leds look like precious stones, style and function come together. The front view takes up some of the formal elements historically part of the identity of the Ferrari brand: the radiator grille with the finely chiselled air intake in the centre of the bonnet are explicit evocations of certain unforgettable Ferrari’s like the 250 SWB and, not by chance, the 250 GT “California”.
The side panel surfaces link up at the rear to form a snug, muscular tail. As on the front, the lighting clusters with their round led mono beam are set directly on the edge of the boot. This technical choice left greater freedom to the modelling of the surfaces, giving origin to a veritable sculpture. Original elements are the vertically paired tailpipes and the cut of the boot which drops to bumper level in the interests of functionality.
Maserati Quattroporte S
Maserati is showing its new Quattroporte S and GranTurismo S, designed in cooperation with Pininfarina.
After four years of flattering commercial success, the Quattroporte is aiming to pour fresh adrenalin into its image by banking on numerous styling touches signed by Pininfarina, like the original model, and with the new 4.7 engine on the Quattroporte S.
“It hasn’t been easy”, said Paolo Pininfarina, “to make an impression on forms like those of the Quattroporte which have won the hearts of fans all over the world, also recording numerous international successes, without compromising the original design. The aim of our work on the Quattroporte was functional to a number of technological updates introduced by Maserati. The
overall effect continues to be that of a refined Italian sports saloon with a strong personality. Elegant, dynamic and aggressive”.
In brief, the aesthetic interventions carried out by Pininfarina on the new Quattroporte derive from specific technical needs: the need for a larger cooling area due to the increased engine power, the introduction of leds for the lighting clusters and improved aerodynamics (the flows in the lower part of the car have been adjusted). At first glance, the new Quattroporte looks more aggressive and muscular than before, with a solider road stance. In detail:
The side panel is underscored by a more obvious sill which connects seamlessly to the front and rear bumpers. The outside rearview mirrors are also new. The front presents a new grille with concave vertical flaps consistent with the brand identity as expressed by Granturismo. The bigger headlights are enhanced by leds which not only improve visibility but also emphasise the car’s aggressive look.
The rear volume is characterised by new bumpers which improve the overall balance and also offer better protection.
The interiors present a new central console and ergonomically improved controls.
Maserati GranTurismo S
The style of the Granturismo S is aggressive, in line with the car’s character which stands out for its sideskirts, the rear spoiler integrated in the bonnet and the 20”, 7-spoke wheels. The grille, like the internal parabola of the headlights, is painted matte black.
The interiors, in Frau leather and Alcantara, present restyled seats. Optionally available are complete Frau Leather or Pekary leather upholstery.
