Pininfarina names new chairman

TURIN, Italy -- Andrea Pininfarina is the new chairman of the Italian contract manufacturer that bears his family's name. He also continues as CEO of the Pininfarina group.The 48-year-old takes over from his father, Sergio, 79, who requested not to be re-elected chairman. He had held that job since the mid-1960s.Andrea's younger brother, Paolo, 47, adds the position of vice chairman to his duties as head of product design at one of the group's subsidiaries, Pininfarina Extra.The power shift comes as the publicly listed, family-controlled group tries to recover from a production loss in 2005.Delays in the production startups of the Alfa Romeo Brera and Volvo C70 dropped 2005 volume to 8,199 cars. Pininfarina had planned to make 15,000 units last year. The coachbuilder made 22,869 cars in 2004.Pininfarina began building the Mitsubishi Colt CZC coupe convertible in March, and the Alfa Romeo Spider started earlier this month. Pininfarina plans to begin making the Ford Focus CC coupe convertible in late June.This year the contract manufacturer plans to build more than 45,000 cars and aims to exceed 60,000 units in 2007.Sergio Pininfarina, named the group's honorary chairman, said he needed to step back from the family business so he could devote more time to his political career. Last October, Sergio was appointed a senator for life for his services to Italy. He said his Senate job is demanding more of his attention than he had expected.Sergio led Pininfarina for 40 years. He inherited the chairmanship from his father, company founder Battista "Pinin" Pininfarina, after he died in 1966.You may e-mail Luca Ciferri at lciferri@craincom.de

Pininfarina names new chairman

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