More than 50 years of experience in car design and beyond

Giorgetto Giugiaro is a public figure whose views are sought internationally, not only on cars and design, but also on world affairs.

Born on 7 August 1938 in Garessio, Giorgetto was always likely to have an artistic future. His grandfather, Luigi, painted church frescoes. His father, Mario, alternated between decorative religious art and oil painting. Giorgetto was clearly born into a family steeped in the arts; nevertheless, his career came about more by accident than by deliberate choice.

After moving to Turin, Giorgetto split his time between art at the specialist school he attended during the day and technical design, through evening classes. In September 1955, he joined Fiat in its Special Vehicle Design Study Department, led by Fabio Luigi Rapi.

1960s

Finding it impossible to grow rapidly within a large organisation such as Fiat, he took a giant step and, in December 1959, became Head of the Bertone Styling Centre. Nuccio Bertone invested everything in this twenty one year old prodigy, and excellent results were the reward for his apparently risky decision. At the same time, Giugiaro readily acknowledges that he owes his career as a designer to Nuccio Bertone, for his guidance and advice. The years he spent under his wing were fundamental to his training and allowed him to carve out a niche for himself on the Turin design scene.

After six highly intense years, in November 1965, Giorgetto left to join the management of Ghia, another coachbuilding firm. There, he was responsible for the styling centre and the prototyping division. The Maserati Ghibli and De Tomaso Mangusta date back to this period (both were presented at the Turin Motor Show in 1966). Some of the research prototypes developed while working for Ghia include the Fiat 850 Vanessa (1966) and the Oldsmobile Toronado Thor (1967). Noteworthy production cars from this time include the Isuzu 117 Coupé (1966) and the Iso Rivolta Fidia (1967).

From the 1970s to the 1990s

On 7 February 1967, Giugiaro founded his first company, Ital Styling, where he continued to work with Ghia on a freelance basis while preparing to take a leap into the unknown. He would invest his professional and financial capital in a global challenge: a professional services company for the motor industry. Thus, Italdesign was born.

Under the Italdesign - Giugiaro trademark, Giugiaro has officially styled over 200 cars that were subsequently mass-produced, in addition to developing many other projects under wraps for the world’s top manufacturers.

2000s

At the 2002 Geneva International Motor Show, Giorgetto Giugiaro unveiled the Alfa Romeo Brera, a 2+2 coupé (two seats plus room for two children), with a bodyshell entirely in carbon fibre and a powerful 90° V-shaped, mid-front eight-cylinder engine of more than 4,000 cm³, delivering 400 hp.

The car was awarded “Concept Car of the Year” and “Best Exterior Concept” by the international magazine Automotive News. The Brera concept car was so successful that it was launched onto the market in 2005 as the heir to the GTV.

To mark 50 years of activity in the world of car design, Giorgetto Giugiaro decided to sculpt a Ferrari in memory of that great adventure and to enjoy it with his family. The GG50 premiered at the 39th Tokyo Motor Show in 2005.

Finally, to celebrate the group’s 40 years of activity, at the 2008 Geneva Motor Show Giugiaro presented the Quaranta: an “extreme,” ecological, 4WD super sports car described as the first hybrid car with a mid-engine layout and driving position and a roomy cabin able to accommodate three adults plus a baby in complete comfort. This concept car marked Italdesign Giugiaro’s 40 years of commitment to automotive styling research and technology.

In 2010, Italdesign Giugiaro became part of the Volkswagen Group and began working with all VW brands. In September 2015, Giorgetto and Fabrizio Giugiaro relinquished all their positions at Italdesign and founded GFG Style, a company dedicated entirely to styling projects in the automotive and mobility sectors.


YUTAKA YAMAGISHI I Dai Yamagishi
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/yutaka_yama...
Twitter:
  / yutakayamagishi  
Website:
https://gogo-yutaka.jp

LMP CARS
Youtube:
   / lmpcars  
Website:
https://www.lmpcars.com
Instagram:
  / lmpcars