RIP to a legendary automobile designer.
Marcello Gandini sadly passed away on the age of 85 last week. I can recall perhaps that Gandini was the primary automobile designer I could ever name? A childhood reading Automotive Magazine – or was it simply that I once managed to read that tiny badge on the side of a Lamborghini Countach? Actually the Countach sparked my childhood excitement, once I saw one drive by the park I used to be playing in. I’m also sure I remember print ads of the time, explaining how the Citroen BX was designed by the identical person and possibly Renault also proudly name dropped in an identical way? Gandini was a real superstar designer. Perhaps purely because his name was rather a lot easier to pronounce or spell than Giugiaro. Only barely less prolific, you could find loads of obits (or Wikipedia) listing his achievements. His profession famously began, and maybe continued – by clashing with Giugiaro and the 2 never worked together directly. Probably the most beautiful automobile ever designed was claimed by Gandini (Lamborghini Miura) but legend has it that Giugiaro and Gandini unintentionally collaborated on this. IT was began by one, and finished by the opposite? We’ll perhaps never know the reality of that- however it actually makes an important story for the way Marcello arrived with a bang. His brightest and loudest bangs were Lamborghinis after all.
Does anyone remember the response from Marcello Gandini regarding the “recent” Countach special from Lamborghini? It was October twenty second 2021… that Marcello Gandini emailed me! I can inform you now I used to be starstruck but Mr Gandini was not pleased. After all it was merely his publicist that sent me a press release, but I felt that my life had come full circle from my single digit childhood days. He was not upset with me, it seemed he just wanted the world to understand how much he disliked the implication from Lamborghini, that he endorsed their recent Lamborghini Countach. Interestingly Top Gear magazine were present for the precise moment the publicity upset Marcello. They managed to hint on the furore to come back with Marcello zinging with quotes equivalent to
“I’ve at all times refused to live up to now..”
You’ll be able to read that 2021 TG interview here. The letter sent to me was a response to that moment, one which TG decided to chop off at the tip of the article, and neatly explains his courtesy and politeness but in addition shows the idea he had in futurism, or the art of the design process. Innovation ran deep in Marcello, and to be related to this project incorrectly was one affront – but essentially the most scathing “roast” that the maestro gave this project was one in all condemning all retro-modernist designs. All restomods perhaps? My favourite quote from his letter:
“It is obvious that markets and marketing itself has modified rather a lot since then, but so far as I’m concerned, to repeat a model of the past, represents for my part the negation of the founding principles of my DNA“
GANDINI, Marcello. Letter to creator twenty second October 2021
On the time I agreed with my hero and still do. Look back at that 2021 Countach. Will it resonate as timelessly as the unique? No. Is it a cynical marketing exercise to get $tens of millions from the investor market- for a rather altered (fairly low-cost to provide) Aventador? Yes.
In 2023 I used to be reminded of Gandini when news of a “restomod” Diablo was shown. This automobile is one other $1million collectors piece, but this time based on a Lamborghini he didn’t design. The story there’s of US Chrysler ownership of Lamborghini blocking the initial design that Gandini had proposed, with something of their very own which was clearly based on his designs. It was smoothed out and more modern looking. More on trend, as American automobile design experience was highly tuned to market research and customer feedback at the moment. We got to see Marcello’s version because the Cizeta Moroder V16T.
In my life up to now I used to be lucky enough to own a Gandini designed automobile, and I chewed the ear of many bored listener at parties once I told all of them about my automobile “designed by the Lamborghini guy”. It was a Renault 5 (Supercinq) Campus from 1988 and I loved it. The inside was practical yet sci-fi cool, the outside still looking fresh (but wearing battle scars) in 2002 once I owned it. Gandini designed one other Renault, and it was a relatively significant vehicle which enjoyed a production run of 23 years. This might be my favourite Gandini design (besides the Stratus Zero concept), with its immaculate industrial design balance of form and performance. The 2 tone color scheme and the shape language with deep undercut and gap separating upper and lower chassis of the 1990 Renault AE (later Magnum) truck were masterstrokes. The design visually represented the “floating” cab, which contained a flat floor for the motive force. This was a primary and Marcello Gandini celebrated this incredibly futuristic project in aerodynamics and engineering, with styling that was unlike any truck before it.
Let me know within the comments or get in contact along with your own favourite Gandini designs! I do know the Citroen BX gets plenty of love today… I recall not being an enormous fan in period and I might at all times refer you to the Volvo Tundra concept of 1979. I ponder who designed that….
That letter in full. PR contact details redacted.
This Article First Appeared At autostyling.wordpress.com
