General Motors

During the 30's, car body makers often are called upon to design one-of-a-kind custom models. In 1931, Pinin Farina produced one such unique model as a spider version of a V16 Cadillac for the Maharajah of Orccha. This is the first contact between the car body maker and General Motors.

General Motors means the United States, and Pinin has had his eye on the New World automobile companies for a long time. For him they represent the future of the industry. Pinin Farina quickly wins international fame for his car bodies.

By the mid-30's, General Motors Vice-president Coal paid a visit to Pinin Farina at Corso Trapani 107, and he realized the potential significance of the Turin car body manufacturer for automotive styling.

A mutual esteem and collaboration was born between the world's greatest automotive company and Pinin Farina. This rapport was interrupted by the war, but it was reborn as soon as the war ends. In 1947, International Motors of Los Angeles asked Pinin Farina to design some special car bodies for General Motors models of coupes and convertibles for Hollywood stars and magnates.

The car body maker was visiting the United States periodically. During one of his visits for study and updating, he was received by President Ike Eisenhower, who talked with Pinin for much longer than the usual visit would permit.
In the mid-50's General Motors President Harlow H. Curtice sent his congratulations to Pinin Farina on his model of a Buick Lido.

The roof of this custom made model rose automatically as the door was opened to facilitate entry into the interior.
In 1959, the car body maker produced 200 luxury Cadillac Broughams designed by General Motors. This is another sign that the dialogue between the American industrial giant and little Pinin Farina continued to grow.

Pininfarina's work along the time was evolving and the Company became able to perform all facets of the industrial cycle, from ideas to prototypes, from prototypes to mass production.
General Motors personnel frequently were visiting Pininfarina Studi e Ricerche in Cambiano and Industrie Pininfarina in Grugliasco during this period, and Pininfarina people often visit the Detroit and Warren, Michigan plants.

Beginning of the 80's Pininfarina was entrusted with the responsibility to take care of the engineering, development and prototyping of the GM-200 project, from which were born three MPVs: Chevrolet Lumina APV, Oldsmobile Silhouette and pontiac Transport. A purely technical work which was showing the capabilities acquired by Pininfarina even beyond its traditional sectors of activity, it means design and manufacturing.

On September 7, 1983, an agreement is reached for the manufacture of a two-seat convertible Cadillac, the most prestigious General Motors trademark.

This is the first time that General Motors entrusts the styling and construction of the car bodies for one of its mass produced models to an outsider.

The production schedule required a daily output of Cadillac Allanté bodies transported by an airbridge from Turin to Detroit and beginnning in the second half of 1986. Over 22,000 Allanté represent the fruit of this important agreement until 1993.

General Motors personnel frequently were visiting Pininfarina Studi e Ricerche in Cambiano and Industrie Pininfarina in Grugliasco during this period, and Pininfarina people often visit the Detroit and Warren, Michigan plants.
In 1991 at the International Motor Shows of Detroit and Geneva Pininfarina presented the Chronos, a research concept based on GM mechanicals, in particular the ones of the Opel Lotus Omega, at that time the fastest sedan all over the world.

Pininfarina's intention in this design study was to give hommage and concrete evidence to the Company's collaboration with GM, while realizing an extreme convertible able to match outstanding performance to equivalent styling distinction: a proposal in line with the tradition of Pininfarina sports cars, the typical feature of which have always topped out the ranges of high volume producers.