From fridges to Ferrari’s, Pininfarina is one of the most revered names in the automotive industry that has designed a wealth of vehicles, but who are they?
Pininfarina is an Italian design firm founded in 1930 by Battista “Pinin” Farina. The company is known for its iconic automotive designs, as well as its work in architecture, industrial design, and transportation design.
In the early years, Pininfarina collaborated with several Italian car manufacturers such as Alfa Romeo, Lancia, and Fiat to design and build bodies for their cars. The company gained a reputation for its elegant and sophisticated designs, which were known for their sleek lines and attention to detail.
In the 1950s, Pininfarina began working with Ferrari, and this partnership would become one of the most significant and enduring in the automotive industry. Pininfarina designed many iconic Ferrari models, including the 250 GT Berlinetta, the Dino, and the Testarossa.
In the 1960s and 1970s, Pininfarina continued to expand its business and started to work with other car manufacturers such as Peugeot, BMC, and Rolls-Royce. Additionally to car design, Pininfarina also started to work on other design projects such as industrial design and architecture.
In 1986, Pininfarina went public and started trading on the Milan Stock Exchange. The company continued to design cars for various manufacturers, including Maserati, Cadillac, and Volvo.
In the 1990s, Pininfarina began to focus on developing its own car designs and launched the Pininfarina Sintesi concept car in 2008. The company also expanded its business to include engineering and manufacturing services for the automotive industry.
In recent years, Pininfarina has continued to collaborate with car manufacturers on the design of new models, including the Ferrari F12 Berlinetta and the Alfa Romeo Spider. The company has also worked on several design projects outside of the automotive industry, including the design of high-speed trains and luxury yachts.
In 2015, the Mahindra Group, an Indian multinational conglomerate, acquired a controlling stake in Pininfarina. Today, Pininfarina continues to operate as a design and engineering firm, working on various projects related to automotive design, transportation design, industrial design, and architecture.
Pininfarina Battista
The Pininfarina Battista is an all-electric hypercar and is the company’s first ever production car under its own name. The car was first introduced as a concept car at the 2018 Geneva Motor Show, and the production version was unveiled at the following 2019 show.
Named after Battista “Pinin” Farina. The car is powered by four electric motors, one at each wheel, producing a combined output of 1,900 horsepower and 1,696 lb-ft of torque, making it one of the most powerful production cars ever built. The car can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in under 2 seconds and has a top speed of 217 mph. Yikes.
The Battista’s T-shaped battery pack has a capacity of 120 kWh, which gives it a range of up to 280 miles on a single charge if your right foot is made of helium. The car also supports fast charging, which allows it to be charged up to 80% in just 40 minutes.
The Pininfarina Battista features a typical batsh*t hypercar design, with a carbon fiber monocoque chassis and body. The interior is designed to be luxurious and high-tech, which is certainly the case, as it is beautiful.
Only 150 units of the Pininfarina Battista will be produced, and each car will be custom-built to the customer’s specifications. The car has a starting price of around £2 million and deliveries commenced in 2022.