Saw a programe about Pininfarina, some time ago. They were having a internal competition for a Maserati show car. The showcar has the same sideline treatment, as the 458. My guess is that the designer is the same man, or that the 458 is drawn from his inspiration. Cannot remember the name, but he was young, and most likely American.
Ferrari's design chief Donato Coco contributed the interior design for the 458. It was Pininfarina that did the exterior design with no person credited from there yet. The response the P4/5 received when it appeared certainly seemed to encourage Pininfarina's design ideas in that direction. Napolis however took the initial risk but many will now benefit from his foresight. At the very least he should get the first USA 458... CH
I am curious to know what you mean by risk? I was told by Jason Castriota personally at an event on Long Island that Jim originally wanted to do a more retro design scheme and he had to talk him down from it into going with something a bit more modern. Thus, "Pininfarina's design ideas" were Jason Castriota's design ideas. Castriota penned the P4/5 and who ever is ultimately responsible for the exterior styling of the 458 was following his lead. _J
Interesting, what you have to say about how the design of the P4/5 evolved from the initial idea of what it should be. However the risk I refer to is any time you move into the uncharted territory that a one-off design represents. If the idea is workable and can be refined to a popular result then you have a winner on your hands. However there are a list (which won't be the same for everyone) of less successful design efforts tried by others that only the new owner of the car might like or appreciate. Yet the general feeling is the owner's design choice is a flop. It is interesting to see how prototype designs evolve as they are refined. Poor design ideas get reworked to a (in some cases) wonderful finished result. It is a marvel to see how they arrived there after seeing some of the initial directions the prototype design took. Others never do get it right and they garner little positive attention. P4/5 has gotten lots of well deserved attention. It would be very illuminating to see the design progression of the 458 from early drawing to the final presentation. As has been done in past Ferrari literature; perhaps the 458 press kit will offer a glimpse of this design process. CH
You're talking about the Maserati Birdcage 75th, and i think Ken okuyama designed that, but he is no longer with Pininfarina.
The Birdcage was designed by Jason Castriota, not Ken, as is the case with the 599, Maserati Gran Turismo, Kalikow's 612Kappa, and Rolls Hyperion, and the Mantide.
