Battista Pininfarina

Giovanni Battista Farina, later known as Giovanni Battista Pininfarina, was an influential Italian entrepreneur and car designer, born on November 2, 1893, in Cortanze, Italy. He is best remembered for founding the Società Anonima Carrozzeria Pinin Farina, which would later become the renowned car design company, Pininfarina.

Born into a large family, Farina’s early years were marked by hardship as his family moved from their rural home in Cortanze to Turin in search of better economic opportunities. His father, Giuseppe, started a wine retail business in Turin. Farina’s passion for automotive design began at a young age. After attending school, he worked in a small car body shop owned by his older brother Giovanni, where he developed his skills as a coachbuilder. By 1928, he had taken over the management of the family business, known as Stabilimenti Farina.

In 1930, with financial support from his wife’s wealthy aunt, Farina founded the Società Anonima Carrozzeria Pinin Farina, marking the start of his independent career in automotive design. The company’s early success was largely due to its partnership with the Lancia automobile company, where Farina created prototypes and small series for Lancia models like the “Augusta”, “Astura”, and “Aprilia”. Over the next decade, Farina’s reputation as a master car designer grew, and his innovative approach to the craft became widely admired.

Farina was known for his aesthetic sensibility, yet he was not a designer in the traditional sense. Unlike many of his contemporaries, he did not sketch the designs himself but instead worked closely with a team of draftsmen, guiding them in the creation of car bodies. His method involved selecting the best design from several proposals and then collaborating closely with craftsmen to bring it to life in three dimensions.

Following World War II, the Pininfarina company gained greater prominence, especially with the involvement of Farina’s son Sergio and his son-in-law Renzo Carli, who played key roles in the company’s management. Giovanni Battista Farina gradually reduced his role within the company, taking on a more supervisory position after a world tour in 1959, where he was celebrated internationally for his contributions to the automotive world.

In 1961, Giovanni Battista Farina officially changed his surname to Pininfarina, and by then, the company had already become one of the most prestigious names in automotive design. The Alfa Romeo “Duetto” was one of his last significant contributions, unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show in 1966, just weeks before his death from illness.

In addition to his work in car design, Farina was a philanthropist, supporting charitable and artistic causes, including the restoration of churches and the creation of schools for underprivileged children. His legacy lives on through Pininfarina, which continues to be a leader in automotive and design innovation.