Pininfarina, 51, was riding a motorcycle in Turin, Italy, when a car driven by a 71-year-old man turned in front of him, just after 8 a.m. Thursday, ANSA reported.

Pininfarina was likely driving to the company's headquarters, the Italian news agency said.

He was the second child of Sergio Pininfarina, who also led the company and the third generation of automobile designers, including his grandfather Battista Farina.

Several said a friend had been lost to them. ''He was a man of great humanity and in this moment of deep sorrow my heart goes out to his parents, his wife, children, brothers and all his collaborators at Pininfarina,'' Fiat and Ferrari Chairman Luca Cordero di Montezemolo told ANSA.