Andrea Pininfarina – the chief executive of the fabled Italian coachbuilder bearing his name – died today in a road accident. He was the grandson of founder Battista Farina and son of Sergio Pininfarina.
Pininfarina, 51, was killed in a road accident in Trofarello near Turin. Police said he was riding a motorbike to the firm’s R&D base in Cambiano, Italy, when he was involved in a collision with a Ford Fiesta.
Andrea Pininfarina: 1957-2008
He graduated in mechanical engineering in 1981 at the Polytechnic of Turin and worked in America before joining the family firm two years later. He rose up through the ranks and became MD in 1994, then chief exec in 2001.
The Italian carozzeria is one of the best-known coachbuilders in the business and is currently in the middle of a significant restructuring as the firm’s losses increased to €115 million. It employs some 3000 people in Europe, Africa and China.
Pininfarina is survived by his wife Cristiana, two sons and a daughter. The company will issue a statement later today.