China to Become Pininfarina’s Biggest Market

China will surpass Germany as design firm Pininfarina SpA's largest national market by the end of 2012, Automotive News reports.

CEO Silvio Pietro Angori tells the newspaper that each country currently generates about 35% of Pininfarina's revenue, followed by Italy at 10%.

The Italian company, which has done business in China since 1996, opened a Shanghai unit in 2010. Angori says Pininfarina has designed 80% of the lineup of Brilliance China and several high-volume models for Chery Automobile. The company's other Chinese customers include BAIC, FAW Group, Great Wall, Jianghuai, Jinbei, SAIC and Shenyang Brilliance.