Turin, July 3 :  Italian car designer Sergio Pininfarina, whose company has designed Ferrari cars and the Lavazza coffee machine, died Tuesday after a long illness. He was 85.

The designer had since 1966 chaired the coachmaker and design company named Pininfarina, created by his father Battista 'Pinin' Farina.

He also headed Italy's main private employers' confederation, Confindustria, from 1988 to 1992.

Besides Ferraris, the company is famous for designing the 2006 Winter Olympics Torch, the Coca-Cola Free Style beverage dispenser, the Lavazza coffee machine and the Juventus stadium.

Born in September 1926 in the northern industrial city of Turin, Pininfarina graduated in mechanical engineering in 1950.

His son Andrea was due to succeed him at the helm of the company but he died in a tragic car accident in 2008.

© IANS