The automotive world suffered a huge loss: Marcello Gandini, the most famous and influential car designer of all time, died on Wednesday, March 13. Gandini died in his home, he unexpectedly left the living at the age of 85, he writes the Italian news agency Rai.
Marcello Gandini became the chief designer of the legendary Italian design studio, Bertone, after Giorgetto Giugiaro in 1965. His name is associated with the design of the most popular sports cars and iconic concept cars of the sixties and seventies. During his 14 years at Bertone’s design desk, Gandini designed, among others, the Lamborghini Miura, Marzal, Espada, Urraco, Diablo and Countach, Alfa Romeo Montreal, Navajo and Carabo, Lancia Stratos, Lancia Stratos Zero, Fiat X1/9 and Ferrari GT4 which are still impressive to this day. lines.
But he did not only design sports cars, the hands of the celebrated designer are also complimented by ordinary cars such as the Autobianchi A112, the Audi 50, the Renault 5, the Citroën BX, the Volkswagen Polo or the BMW E12 series.
In our gallery, car marvels bearing the traces of Gandini’s hand:
Lamborghini Miura – Source: Károly Attila Nagy / rtl.hu
He later collaborated as an independent designer with car manufacturers such as Nissan, Toyota and Subaru. He didn’t stop working even at the age of 85, his current project was in Qatar, where he worked on the educational platform of the Doha car museum.
Gandini was not only interested in the automotive industry, but also in music, industrial design and furniture design. On January 12, the University of Turin awarded him an honorary degree in mechanical engineering. At the award ceremony, Gandini recalled that his father, who was a conductor, wanted his son to become a pianist:
It was only when he got into the Lamborghini Miura that he understood that I knew how to make other sounds: that of the engine.
Dozens of cars could be cited as examples of Gandini’s genius, but we would like to single out just one: the Alfa Romeo Carabo concept car presented at the 1968 Paris Motor Show. Even to today’s eyes, the ultimate example of wedge-shaped car designs is extremely futuristic and can be seen in the Alfa Romeo museum in Milan, where our pictures were taken:
Source: Károly Attila Nagy / rtl.hu