Automobili Pininfarina appoints board of directors to launch uber luxury EVs

Munich-based Automobili Pininfarina, the  world’s newest car brand launched earlier this year, which aims to sustainably develop and produce fully-electric, ultra-luxury cars, has announced the appointment of a new and experienced senior management team as it prepares to present its business and product plans to prospective retailer partners, clients and media in New York later this week.

Michael Perschke, Automobili Pininfarina CEO, said: “Automobili Pininfarina is a pioneering new business created to service the most discerning clients in the world. Our product portfolio will launch with an innovative, zero-emissions hypercar that represents the progression we aim to make at the pinnacle of the luxury and sports car market.”

Automobili Pininfarina will offer a range of extremely luxurious and high-performance EV cars designed and built in a close partnership with Pininfarina, the legendary Italian automotive styling house. The first of those is codenamed 'PF0' and will be an ultra-low volume, ultra-luxurious fully-electric hypercar.

With ongoing technical collaboration with the multi-race winning Mahindra Racing Formula E team, Michael Perschke and the ambitious new Automobili Pininfarina management team will deliver a range of vehicles offering design purity, emotional appeal and innovative EV technology to customers worldwide. In less than two years, Perschke and his team will present the first customer with a car of unmatched performance and unprecedented heritage.

Board of directors: leaders from premier auto brands
The company's Board of Directors comprises leaders with experience from brands such as Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Ferrari, Jaguar Land Rover, Maserati, McLaren Automotive and Volvo. “We have attracted some of the best automotive industry talent from all corners of the globe. Now this team is completely focussed on delivering ground-breaking, highly desirable vehicles through a business strategy which will see Automobili Pininfarina become the most sustainable luxury automotive business in the worl," said Perschke.

Automobili Pininfarina's Board members are: 

Michael Perschke – Chief Executive Officer: An experienced senior executive with over 20 years of automotive management roles for premium car brands in Europe and India with a recent focus on innovation, connected car and EV solutions. With close ties to the Mahindra Group, Automobili Pininfarina’s parent company and Pininfarina SpA’s majority shareholder, he is ideally suited to bring together the strengths these partners provide in technology, design, development and manufacturing.

Following a thorough recruitment programme that started in 2017 prioritising significant global experience in luxury, super-luxury, performance and connected-car sectors, Perschke has been joined by experienced automotive executives including:

 Per Svantesson – Chief Operating Officer: Per Svantesson is a seasoned international business leader who has held top level management and board positions in a number of large, global, industrial corporations including Volvo, Valeo and ESAB. He combines this experience with many years as a serial entrepreneur and venture capitalist. Having worked with creating efficiency and profitability in global industrial organisations Per has in-depth expertise in the management of international M&A activities as well as the methods of lean manufacturing. Per is also a truly customer-driven sales executive with a sharp set of tools in business-to-business marketing and sales.

Dan Connell – Chief Brand Officer: Dan Connell joins Automobili Pininfarina from Jaguar Land Rover, where he was responsible most recently for leading delivery of the global Marketing Communications and PR strategy behind the successful new Special Vehicle Operations (SVO) and Classic business divisions. Previously he has occupied Public Relations roles at Volkswagen, MINI and McLaren Automotive. Connell now leads a new team at Automobili Pininfarina responsible for global brand strategy, marketing communications PR and experiential programmes.

Luca Borgogno – Design Director: With over 14 years’ experience as one of Pininfarina’s leading designers, Luca Borgogno introduced early PF0 concepts to potential clients and retail partners in Rome. Now in New York, ahead of the city’s Formula E street race, he will present PF0 design images to potential owners, retail partners and media. These will be in private sessions during the Formula E race weekend programme from July 12‑15, ahead of hosting private VIP viewings of PF0 during Monterey Car Week in August.

Anika Rose – Human Resources Director: Anika Rose joins Automobili Pininfarina after nearly seven years in senior Human Resources roles at Kongsberg Automotive in Munich, where she was Head of HR Services for Central Europe. Prior to that, Anika worked as an HR professional in some of the world’s leading global brands across hospitality and leisure. Kongsberg Automotive is a world-leading automotive parts supplier, headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland and with production facilities around the globe.

Marcus Korbach – Sales Director: Marcus Korbach joins Automobili Pininfarina from Bugatti S.A.S where he represented the luxury performance car brand as their Regional Managing Director for Middle East and Asia.  In that role he managed all brand, sales and network activities whilst also contributing to the launch strategy of the Bugatti Chiron. Prior to Bugatti, Marcus worked for McLaren Automotive during its launch phase as McLaren Special Operations Sales Manager and Sales Manager for the McLaren P1 – the world’s first hybrid supercar.

Paolo Dellacha – Product and Platform Director: Paolo Dellacha is responsible for the product definition and development plan of the future range of Automobili Pininfarina sustainable luxury electric cars, with a key focus on defining vehicle technology to meet the desires of the world’s most discerning customers. Prior to joining Automobili Pininfarina, he spent nearly two decades in computer-aided engineering: specifically, testing, engineering and design roles at Ferrari, Maserati and Alfa Romeo. After starting as a vehicle dynamics professional, Dellacha led complete new vehicle development programmes and was most recently appointed Director of Vehicle Concept and Architecture of Alfa Romeo and Maserati. He is a published author of automotive technical papers and was part of the team that secured drivetrain and chassis patents for Ferrari.

 Automobili Pininfarina and PFO
From an operational headquarters in Munich, Germany, and with a team of experienced automotive executives from luxury and premium car brands, Automobili Pininfarina will bring to market unique, beautiful and technically-advanced sustainable luxury electric cars. Designed, developed and produced in Germany and Italy, all models will be sold and serviced in all major global markets under the brand name Pininfarina.The new company aims to be the most sustainable luxury car brand in the world

The company is a 100 percent Mahindra & Mahindra investment and has been named Automobili Pininfarina following the signing of a trademark licence agreement between Pininfarina SpA and Mahindra & Mahindra. Pininfarina will play an influential role in supporting design and production capacities based on their unique almost 70-year experience of producing many of the world’s most iconic cars.

The first car from Automobili Pininfarina will be an ultra-low volume ultra-luxury electric hypercar codenamed PF0 that will retail at between $2.0 and $2.5 million. It will be followed by a range of low-volume, all-electric cars, including luxury SUVs, sold and serviced through a network of experienced luxury car retailers.

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Mahindra's high-performance EV start-up: 5 things you need to know