Concept Car of the Week: Ferrari Pinin (1980)

Over the years, Ferrari has slowly built a reputation for the fact that any car that wears the prancing horse badge on its bonnet ought to be a design masterpiece. Everyone has their own personal favorite: 250 GTO, 250 GT California Spider, 330 P4, Modulo, Daytona, you name it... 

Yet few would remember – or even know about – the odd ones, the ugly Ferraris hidden away, rarely allowed to see the light of day; a few rare cars that got brushed under the carpet as quickly as they appeared include the 365 GTC/4, FZ93 Zagato, the 408 Integrale and the Pinin.

Most of them are the work of independent studios, long-distanced from Enzo's (dis)approval. But the infamous Pinin was created closer to home, by long-time Ferrari collaborator Pininfarina, in 1980 to celebrate its 50th anniversary.

Rather than a traditional Ferrari sports car, the carrozzeria chose to challenge the boundaries of the brand and created the first ever four-door Ferrari.

Designed by Diego Ottina, under the direction of Leonardo Fioravanti, the Pinin had a wheelbase slightly longer than the 400. Its basic three-box design is unremarkable – with the front of an Opel Senator and the rear of a Cadillac Allante, the Pinin was not born to turn heads.

On the other hand it has some clever features, such as its flush wrap-around glass, windscreen wipers hidden beneath a pop-up panel, and wheels with angled spokes to help with brake cooling.

The same philosophy was applied inside with simple beige Connolly leather contrasting with futuristic digital displays and huge square plastic buttons. The passengers in the rear seats had a control unit of their own so they could operate the electric windows and the audio system.

Initially created as a static display car, the Pinin had no engine. It had to wait until 2008 for its private owner to breathe life into it. His choice was the 4.9-liter, flat-12 from the 512, which produces 360bhp, coupled with a gearbox from a 400 GT.

As of today, Ferrari still hasn't produced a proper four-door sedan, apart from a few rare 'Venice' 456 sedans and wagons built on commission. But whether or not old man Enzo approved, the Pinin has always had a peculiar elegance, derived from the simplicity of its design, with flat surfaces, its low stance and flush smoked windows.

Over time, this silver bullion has developed a certain appeal. So much so that the prototype is currently for sale, priced at €1.1million ($1.4million, £840,000). If that's too steep, at least you can always hunt for a 400 in the classifieds.

Designer Diego Ottina
First seen 1980 Turin motor show
Length 4,826mm
Wheelbase 2,751mm
Engine 4.9-liter, 12-cylinder boxer
Power 360bhp

What else happened in 1980?

Sci-fi had a huge influence on contemporary culture, with Star Wars being the biggest-selling home video of the year, while Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back dominated the movie box office. Space Invaders and Pac Man made their video game debut, too, while 1980 was also the year when every PC user's favorite command, Ctrl-Alt-Delete, came into use.

By Flavien Dachet