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Paolo Pininfarina, chairman of the Pininfarina group, died in Turin on 9 April 2024 at the age of 65. He had led the company since 2008, guiding the family business through a period that expanded its work beyond traditional automotive design.
What happened to Paolo Pininfarina?
Pininfarina announced that Paolo Pininfarina died in Turin on 9 April 2024. ANSA reported the death and identified him as the company’s president; Pininfarina’s own announcement described him as chairman. His family was with him in his final moments.
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The available announcements do not establish a medical cause of death. An ANSA feature said he had been ill for some time, but no verified cause was released.
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Who was Paolo Pininfarina?
Born in Turin on 28 August 1958, Paolo Pininfarina was an engineer, designer and business leader from the family that founded Pininfarina. He studied mechanical engineering at the Polytechnic University of Turin, worked with Cadillac, Honda and General Motors, and joined Pininfarina in 1982.
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His path through the company
| Year | Role or milestone |
|---|---|
| 1982 | Joined Pininfarina after early work with Cadillac, Honda and General Motors. |
| 1987 | Began leading Pininfarina Extra, the group’s industrial-design and product-development division. |
| 2006 | Became a Pininfarina vice president. |
| 2008 | Assumed the chairmanship after the sudden death of his brother, Andrea Pininfarina. |
| 2013 | Oversaw the Sergio two-seat barchetta concept, created in memory of his father, Sergio Pininfarina. |
| 2019 | Presented the Automobili Pininfarina Battista electric hypercar at the Geneva Motor Show. |
When did Paolo Pininfarina become chairman?
Paolo took over as chairman in 2008, following the sudden death of his brother Andrea Pininfarina. He remained in that position until his death in April 2024. Silvio Angori, Pininfarina’s chief executive, said the board’s first act after Paolo’s death was to formally recognize his contribution and commitment to preserving the company’s history and identity.
What did Paolo Pininfarina design or oversee?
Paolo’s significance was not limited to a single styling project. He held senior engineering and management responsibilities, and his leadership helped Pininfarina broaden its influence beyond automobile body design. The projects most closely associated with his tenure include:
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Sergio concept
Unveiled in 2013, the Sergio was a two-seat barchetta concept created as a tribute to Paolo’s father, Sergio Pininfarina. Its name and purpose linked a modern, highly focused sports-car study with the family’s design heritage.
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The Battista is an electric hypercar from Automobili Pininfarina, the automotive marque associated with the Pininfarina name. Unveiled at the 2019 Geneva Motor Show, it was named for Paolo’s grandfather, Battista “Pinin” Farina, who founded the company in 1930.
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These projects should not be read as proof that Paolo personally designed every vehicle carrying the Pininfarina name. The documented record describes him as a leader who oversaw major initiatives and steered the wider organization.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How did he shape Pininfarina’s legacy?
Family succession
Paolo represented the third generation of the family’s direct leadership described in this account. His grandfather Battista founded the company, his father Sergio became one of its defining figures, and his brother Andrea preceded him as chairman. Paolo inherited that responsibility after Andrea’s death and carried it for the next 16 years.
Expansion beyond car styling
His earlier leadership of Pininfarina Extra and his board-level career reflected a broader corporate role. Pininfarina’s statement after his death said his legacy extended beyond family ties and that he was a driving force behind the company founded by Battista in 1930. That description captures his work to extend the brand’s influence into areas beyond conventional automotive design.
Recognition after his death
Paolo Pininfarina was named the 2024 American Prize for Design laureate posthumously. The nomination had been approved before his death, so the honor recognized work and leadership already under consideration rather than a nomination made afterward.
What is known about his final days?
Pininfarina said Paolo’s family surrounded him at the end of his life. Public statements confirmed the date and location of his death and paid tribute to his leadership, but did not provide a medical cause.
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