In 1981, he graduated from the Polytechnic of Turin as a mechanical engineer, and in 1982, he was employed by the Fruehauf Corporation in the United States of America.
[2] Pininfarina briefly served as vice president of Italy's Confindustria industry lobby before his death in 2008.
[4] In 2004, he was named by Businessweek as one of the "25 Stars of Europe" in the category dedicated to innovators, while in 2005, he received the Eurostar 2005 Award from The Automotive News Europe, awarded to top managers who have particularly distinguished themselves in the business sectors covered by their respective automotive companies.
[5] Pininfarina died while riding a Vespa near the company's headquarters in Cambiano[6] outside Turin, Italy, on the morning of 7 August 2008.
[6] According to the police, a car driven by a 78-year-old man maneuvered from a side street around a parked lorry and pulled directly in front of Pininfarina.