Giorgetto Giugiaro
Giorgetto Giugiaro (born 7 August 1938) is an Italian automobile designer responsible equally for a stable of supercars and several of the most popular everyday vehicles driven today. He was born in Garessio, Cuneo, Piedmont.
Giugiaro was named Car Designer of the Century 1999 and inducted into the Automotive Hall of Fame in 2002.
In addition to cars, Giugiaro has designed camera bodies for Nikon, computer prototypes for Apple, Navigation promenade of Porto Santo Stefano and even developed a new pasta shape "Marille", as well as office furniture for Okamura.
o Giorgetto Giugiaro is an Italian car designer who may be best known for the introduction of the “folded paper” era of car design. The name lends itself to the straight lines and sharp edges made popular on a wide variety of early ‘70s super cars conceptualized and designed by Giurgiaro (Lotus Esprit, De Lorean DMC 12, Maserati Merak, Bora and Quattroporte, BMW M1, etc. etc.).
o Many other manufacturers would take their design cues from Giurgiaro including Lamborghini, Ferrari, Audi, Bugatti, etc
Giugiaro continued this tradition by studying art during the day and technical design during the evening. 1967 Ghia 450 SS
o At a school exhibit in 1955, Dante Giacosa, Fiat's technical director, immediately realized the talent of Giugiaro and offered him a job in the styling department.
1971 ISO Grifo Series II
o In 1959 he left Fiat for Bertone where his true genious began to shine. He penned designs for the Alfa Romeo 200/2600 Spring, Ferrari 250 GT Aston Martin DB4 GT Jet, Maserati 5000 GT, Alfa Romeo 2600 HS, to name a few.
Maserati 5000 GT In 1965 he left Bertone and went to Ghia as head of the design office. His designs shocked the automotive world when he displayed his De Tomaso Pampero and Mangusta, Fiat Vanessa, and Maserati Ghibli.
2.
o In February of 1967, Giugiaro founded Italdesign meaning 'Ital Styling'. He continued to work with Ghia as a freelancer. His design studio made their first public appearance at the 1968 Turin Motor Show where they introduced the Bizzarrini Manta prototype. Since that time, Italdesign has created designs for Abarth, Suzuki, Alfa Romeo, Volkswagen, Porsche, Maserati, Audi, Hyundai, BMW, Fiat, Lancia, DeLorean, Lamborghini, and more.
The designs during the 1970's began the 'folded paper' era. The vehicles were given sharp edges such as the Lotus Esprite, DeLorean DMC 12, and Lamborghini. DeLorean DMC 12
3.
o Since its inception, the design studio of ItalDesign has expanded into other commercial market segments such as creating designs for cameras, telephones, electrical appliances, visual identity machines, cosmetics, watches, computers, furniture, and more.
It is understandable why Giugiaro was named designer of the century. His designs and creations have helped craft the automobile styling that is enjoyed today.
Influence on design
Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint GT
VW Golf I
Lotus Esprit S1
2008 Ford Mustang Giugiaro Concept
Noted initially for such sensuous efforts as the Ferrari 250 Berlinetta Bertone, De Tomaso Mangusta, Iso Grifo and Maserati Ghibli, Giugiaro switched courses to introduce the highly angular "folded paper" era of the 1970s. Straight lined designs such as the BMW M1, Maserati Bora, and Maserati Merak followed before a softer approach returned in the Lamborghini Cala, Maserati Spyder, Ferrari GG50.
Studios
Notable designs
