It wasn’t just the ability to design a pretty car which ensured the survival of Pininfarina when the automotive world underwent one of its most pivotal transitions, with the ‘golden era’ of coachbuilding in the 50s and 60s making way for the adoption of the monocoque chassis in subsequent decades. As well as embracing car production in its own right, the Cambiano-based consultancy also instigated pioneering research into new materials and construction processes.

First things first: technically, the Sergio is not a car as such – yet. Despite sitting on what’s essentially a mock-up of a Ferrari 458 chassis, the Sergio is currently a striking piece of rolling artwork, constructed largely from resin over a computer-milled buck. You might have glimpsed the Ferrari V8 engine through the rear deck, but that’s merely a cover: the Sergio does not actually run. The steering works, however, as it's needed for moving the concept around during events.

At the time, the convertible version of Crewe’s Continental two-door coupé was one of the most expensive cars in the world. In the United Kingdom it carried a price tag of £215,000 – a premium of some £40,000 over the coupé.

Pininfarina took two years to carefully design the complicated fold-back mechanism which made the fabric roof totally disappear when down. And not only that, it was also contracted to provide complete bodyshells from underpans and sub-assembly components supplied by Park Sheet Metal in Coventry. All final assembly was done at Crewe.

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The new car was unveiled via a parade through the streets of New York – apparently the model’s best-selling city. Land Rover states that more Sports are sold in the United States than in any other country.

It is extremely rare for any of the Silver Arrows Grand Prix cars to come up for sale – and the 2½-litre eight-cylinder single-seater W196 racing car with chassis number 00006/54 is one of the most important of its kind. This is the actual car in which Juan Manuel Fangio won the 1954 German Grand Prix at the Nürburgring, and the Swiss Grand Prix in Bern.

As you might expect from two children of the same parents, the SM and Khamsin have identical blood running through their veins. That blood is called LHM (liquide hydraulique minerale), a fluid pressurised by an engine-driven pump and contained in a system of pipes. It’s used to activate the Khamsin’s brakes, clutch, power steering (and even the seat height adjustment), with the result that the lightest touch on any of these controls has a frighteningly huge effect.

2013 will go down in the automotive history books, as Ferrari, McLaren and Porsche battle to win the New Age Hypercar Championship. Two of the contenders, the Ferrari ‘LaFerrari’ and McLaren P1, made an appearance at Geneva this week, while the Porsche 918 is still in the techno-gym, with an alleged appearance later this year at the Frankfurt Motor Show.

The concept's aim is to “renew the spirit of the extraordinary achievements born from Sergio Pininfarina’s pencil,” achievements which encompass the likes of the Alfa Romeo Duetto, Bentley Azure and, of course, numerous Ferraris.

Going by the name ‘Veneno’, the new car celebrates the marque’s golden jubilee by placing focus on extrovert styling and aerodynamic efficiency.