Marcello Gandini

From Vero - Wikipedia
Jump to navigation Jump to search

Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox person

Marcello Gandini (26 August 1938 – 13 March 2024) was an Italian car designer widely known for his work with the Italian car design house Bertone, where his work included designing the Alfa Romeo Carabo and Montreal, Lancia Stratos Zero, Maserati Khamsin, Ferrari GT4, Fiat X1/9, and multiple Lamborghinis, including the Miura,<ref>Generally considered the first (rear) mid-engined production supercar</ref> Countach, Espada, and Urraco production cars, as well as the Marzal and Bravo concept cars.<ref name="autmobilemag"/> Gandini himself said his design interests prioritised vehicle architecture, construction, assembly, and mechanisms over styling.<ref name="autmobilemag">Template:Cite web</ref>

Car Design News awarded Gandini the magazine's first Lifetime Achievement Award in 2012, and said his stature within the industry could not be overstated.<ref name="cardesignnews">Template:Cite web</ref> Flavio Manzoni, chief design officer at Ferrari, said Gandini was "probably the greatest car designer ever".<ref name="cardesignnews"/>

Early life and education

Gandini was born in Turin on 26 August 1938 into a "family steeped in classical music".<ref name="Times Register">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> His father was a former orchestral conductor and composer and wanted his son to become a pianist. Gandini, however, developed an early and intense interest in cars and mechanical engineering.<ref name="Times Register" /> He was sent to a classical lyceum and studied the piano, but continued to have "a passion for engines, mechanics and technology" and left school at 18, which resulted in his being rejected by his parents.<ref name="Times Register" />

Career

In 1964, Gandini approached Nuccio Bertone, head of the Gruppo Bertone company, who was impressed by his zeal and wanted to apprentice him to Giorgetto Giugiaro, his chief designer.<ref name="Times Register" /> The following year Giorgetto left to start his own studio, and at the age of 27, Gandini was hired to take his place.<ref name="Times Register" /> He designed the Lamborghini Miura, from first sketch to finished prototype, in three months, and remained with the company for fourteen years.

File:1977 Bertone designs.jpg
A lineup of Bertone designs from the 1960s and 1970s, most of which Gandini designed

Gandini created the Template:'Stile Bertone' styling house in Caprie. Turin, working as its general manager as well as designing concept cars, and managing the construction of prototype automobiles for the many car makers who hired Bertone, often specifically Gandini.<ref name="autmobilemag"/> Gandini is most known for his designs for many Lamborghini sports cars, beginning with the groundbreaking rear mid-engined Lamborghini Miura in the mid-1960s with a transversely mounted V12. He went on to design the Espada, Urraco, Countach, and the original design proposal for the Diablo, as well as a number of Lamborghini concept cars.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

File:1969 Autobianchi A112 Runabout e Marcello Gandini.jpg
Gandini standing behind the Autobianchi A112 Runabout concept

Gandini also designed practical mass-production cars, including sub-compacts, such as the Innocenti Mini and the first generation Volkswagen Polo,<ref>Initially launched as the Audi 50, but then repositioned as Volkswagen's entry-level car, even below the Giugiaro styled, subcompact first generation VW Golf.</ref> as well as midsize family cars, such as the first-generation BMW 5 Series and Citroën BX.<ref name="autmobilemag" /> The Lancia Stratos rally sportscar, featuring a seamless semi-elliptic windshield and door glass combination, is also a Gandini design.<ref name="autmobilemag" />

Gandini left Bertone in July 1979 to found his own design house, Clama,<ref name="Times Register" /> pursuing freelance automotive, industrial, and interior design. Gandini worked exclusively for Renault for the first five years, resulting in the second generation Renault 5 (the 'Supercinq') and the Renault Magnum truck.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He later worked with Maserati, Nissan, Toyota, and Subaru, and returned to Lamborghini to work on the Diablo in the 1990s.<ref name="Times Register" />

Gandini also designed in other areas, including home architecture, the design of a nightclub interior, and the body styling of the Heli-Sport CH-7 helicopter.<ref name="autmobilemag" />

In January 2024, Gandini was recognised by the Polytechnic University of Turin with an honorary degree in mechanical engineering.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Gandini died on 13 March 2024, at the age of 85.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Designs

Car designs that Gandini was involved in include:

Template:Colbegin

References

Template:Reflist

Further reading

Template:Authority control

Retrieved from "https://wiki.sarg.dev/index.php?title=Marcello_Gandini&oldid=325099"