Artist of the day: Artist of the Day, November 5, 2020: Marcello Gandini, an Italian car designer (#1138)

Thursday, November 5, 2020

Artist of the Day, November 5, 2020: Marcello Gandini, an Italian car designer (#1138)

Marcello Gandini (1938) is an Italian car designer, known for his work with the automotive design house Gruppo Bertone, including his designs of the Lamborghini Miura, Countach, and the Lamborghini Diablo. Gandini, along with noted Italian car designers Giorgetto Giugiaro and Leonardo Fioravanti, were all born in 1938, within months of each other.

In a 2009 interview with Robert Cumberford, editor at Automobile Magazine, Gandini indicated, "his design interests are focused on vehicle architecture, construction, assembly, and mechanisms – not appearance." Gandini was one of twenty-five designers nominated for Car Designer of the Century.

The son of an orchestral conductor, Gandini, was born in Turin. In 1963, he approached Nuccio Bertone, head of the Gruppo Bertone company, for work. However, Giorgetto Giugiaro, then Bertone's chief designer, opposed him being hired. When Giugiaro left Bertone two years later, Gandini was hired, and worked for the company for fourteen years.

Creator of Stile Bertone in Caprie, Gandini served as general manager of the styling house, designing show cars as well as managing the construction of prototype automobiles.

Gandini designed Lamborghini's groundbreaking mid-engined Miura and extreme Countach, as well as many practical cars such as the Citroën BX, the first-generation BMW 5 Series (E12), the Innocenti Mini, and the Renault Supercinq. He introduced the concept of scissor doors with the Alfa Romeo 33 Carabo prototype, while the Lancia Stratos sports car was another Gandini design.

Gandini left Bertone in 1980, pursuing freelance automotive, industrial, and interior design.

Gandini has worked in other areas, including home architecture, the design of a nightclub interior, and the body styling of the Heli-Sport CH-7 helicopter.

Gandini car designs include:
• Alfa Romeo Montreal concept and production version - Alfa Romeo 33 Carabo - Alfa Romeo 90
• Autobianchi A112 - Autobianchi A112 Runabout
• Bertone Pirana
• Bugatti EB 110 (prototypes)
• BMW 5 Series (E12), including the concept Garmisch in 1970
• Citroën BX - Citroën Camargue
• Cizeta-Moroder V16T
• De Tomaso Biguà (Qvale Mangusta) - De Tomaso Pantera SI - De Tomaso Pantera 'Prossima Generazione'
• Dino/Ferrari 308 GT4 - Ferrari Rainbow
• Fiat 132 - Fiat X1/9
• Iso Lele - Iso Grifo 90 - Iso Grifo 96
• Jaguar Ascot
• Lamborghini Bravo - Lamborghini Countach - Lamborghini P140 - Lamborghini Diablo (prototypes) - Lamborghini P147 Acosta - Lamborghini Espada - Lamborghini Jarama - Lamborghini Miura - Lamborghini Urraco - Lamborghini Marzal
• Lancia Stratos Zero - Lancia Stratos - Lancia Sibilo
• Maserati Khamsin - Maserati Ghibli II - Maserati Quattroporte II (1974–1978) & IV (1994–2001) - Maserati Shamal - Maserati Chubasco - 1st and 2nd Maserati Biturbos facelift
• Nissan AP-X
• NSU Trapeze
• Renault 5 Turbo - Renault 5 Supercinq - Renault Magnum
• TaMo Racemo
• Stola S81 Stratos - Stola S86 Diamante
• Volvo Tundra

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