Sergio Pininfarina, Honorary Chairman of Pininfarina Group, has been selected for induction into the Automotive Hall of Fame. The Inductees were announced today at the International Motor Press Association meeting at the New York International Auto Show. Induction into the Automotive Hall of Fame, located in Dearborn, Michigan, is reserved for those individuals who have significantly influenced the automobile and/or the automotive industry. Motivation for Pininfarina’s induction is as follows: “Your contributions will be chronicled among the great personalities who have profoundly affected the global motor vehicle industry”.

“Having been elected for Induction is a high honour for me and a reason for emotion, the more so since my Father received the same one only three years ago” said Sergio Pininfarina.

Sergio Pininfarina

Sergio Pininfarina was born in Turin on September 8, 1926. Married in 1951 with Giorgia Gianolio, he has three children: Lorenza, Andrea, Paolo. Graduated in mechanical engineering from the Polytechnic of Torino in 1950, he began his career in the family firm, “Carrozzeria Pinin Farina”; in 1966, he took over the Chairmanship of the Company. He was President of the Industrial Association of Torino, Member of the European Parliament; President of Confindustria (Confederation of Italian Industries) Chief of the Italian delegation in the Intergovernmental Italian- French Commission for the new high-speed railway link between Lyon and Turin. He is now Chairman of Editrice La Stampa S.p.A. Within Pininfarina Group he is Honorary Chairman and Member of the Board of Directors of Pininfarina S.p.A.. and Pininfarina Extra Srl. Among the Honorary Doctorates received, the one given by the Royal College of Art of London. On September 23rd, 2005 he was appointed Life Senator by the President of the Republic Carlo Azeglio Ciampi for “honouring the Country by high merits in the social field”.
 

Automotive Hall of Fame

The Automotive Hall of Fame is a non-profit organisation dedicated to: recognising outstanding achievement in the automotive and related industries, preserving automotive heritage, and educating future generations of industry participants.

On October 18, 1939, a group of men who had dedicated their lives to the progress of the motor vehicle industry, met in New York City to create an organization that would perpetuate the memories of the early automotive pioneers as well as the contemporary leaders in the industry. From the beginning, this organisation - originally called “Automobile Old Timers” - was dedicated to honouring automotive people from all industry segments and from around the world.

The organization moved to Washington, D.C. in 1960 and then, in 1971, to Midland, Michigan, about 120 miles north of Detroit. In 1975, the first permanent Automotive Hall of Fame building was opened in Midland. After residing in Midland for 22 years, the present Automotive Hall of Fame building, in Dearborn, Michigan, was opened on August 15, 1997.

Over 200 individuals have been inducted into the Automotive Hall of Fame and include such pioneers and leaders as Benz, Bosch, Bugatti, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Citroen, Daimler, Dodge, Durant, Duryea, Ferrari, Ford, Honda, Maybach, Olds, Peugeot, Porsche, Renault, Sloan and Toyota. Today, the Automotive Hall of Fame welcomes nearly 30,000 visitors a year and recognizes achievement in the automotive and related industries through four recognitions, including that of inductee, a cherished accolade which has now been handed to Sergio Pininfarina.