Pinifarina to begin operation in Shanghai Auto City

World-renowned Italian design firm Pininfarina has been confirmed to be one of the enterprises to begin operations in Shanghai International Automobile City's Auto Research and Development Harbor, the Beijing Morning Post reported today. Sixteen other domestic and international design and R&D companies have also agreed to work in the Auto City, located in Shanghai's northwestern Jiading District.

Pininfarina CEO Silvio Pietro Angori (pictured) remarked that China has the potential to surpass Germany to become its largest market by the end of the year. By beginning operations in the Auto City, Pininfarina hopes to capitalize on the market's growth potential to gain more orders, as well as better understand Chinese tastes, which Mr. Angori believes will influence global automobile design trends in the future.

Pininfarina is most known for several models it helped design for sports car maker Ferrari. Since the firm entered China in 1996, it has partnered with several joint ventures and own brand manufacturers. According to Mr. Angori, 80 percent of BMW partner Brilliance Auto's products were designed by his company. The designs for the Chery A3 and Tiggo came from Pininfarina. Pininfarina opened its first Chinese branch in the outskirts of Shanghai two years ago.

Previously, Mr. Angori revealed that China and Germany each contribute around 35 percent to Pininfarina's annual returns, while operations in its home country of Italy bring in 20 percent.

Others in the automobile industry have realized the importance of China on the global stage. Mercedes-Benz and Audi have already established design laboratories in the country, while Nissan has built a specialized design center, aimed at making models specific to Chinese tastes.