An era has come to an end; one of Italy’s most famous car designers and producers Pininfarina has closed it’s last production facility in Turin. This was pubblished by the local Turin edition of La Repubblica. As a consequence, 127 employees employed in the San Giorgio plant were forced to quit there jobs. The uncertainty about a future existence has risen the last period as potential investors where not found. Pininfarina was already struggling  for some time  to attract sufficient funds.

It all started in 2008 when owner and offspring of the the legendary family Andrea Pininfarina was tragically killed in a traffic accident. A year later the Turin based company was forced to sell a stake to local authorities, which then unsuccesfully rented it to Italian car maker De Tomaso. The only recent partner found was the Bolloré Group, one of France biggest companies in transportation and logistics. Together the two parties designed a new hybrid electricity car, the Pininfarina BlueCar. Now it seems unlikely this car will ever hit the road.

Pinifarina is famously known for Italian ‘car art’, when Battista Farina, nicknamed “Pinin” (little one) started his company Carrozzeria Pinin Farina in 1930. Recent examples includes the Alfa Romeo Duettottanta (pictured above) which celebrated 80 years Pininfarina and 100 years Alfa Romeo, the Ferrari 458 Italia, the Ferrari FF and the iconic Ferrari F40. It’s cooperation in the past with other non-Italian car brands has left the company an impressive international record. On the positive side, the company’s headquarters in Turin will remain for doing what Pininfarina once became  famous for: designing cars, although producing them is now part of the history books.