Famed car designer Marcello Gandini, best known for designing some of the world's most iconic cars, passed away on Wednesday, aged 85. With an illustrious career spanning more than five decades, Gandini will always be regarded as one of the main figures who popularised the rear mid-engine layout in sports cars during the 1960s and 1970s which enabled greater high-speed stability.
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The Lamborghini Miura, designed by Gandini, was the first mass-production car with a rear mid-engine layout.
Born in Turin in 1938, Gandini was the son of an orchestral conductor. In 1965, he joined Gruppo Bertone, then headed by Nuccio Bertone. He replaced Giorgetto Giugiaro, another illustrious designer, best known for designing cars like the DMC DeLorean (featured in the Back To The Future movie series) and the Maserati Bora. While working for Bertone, he became renowned for his work with Lamborghini, then a client with the company, which resulted in the creation of iconic cars such as the Miura, the first mass-production car with a rear mid-engine layout, along with the Espada, Jarama and Countach, among others.
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The Lancia Stratos won the World Rally Championship in 1974, 1975 and 1976
Another popular mid-engine car designed by Gandini was the Lancia Stratos, powered by a Ferrari V6 engine. One of the most successful rally cars of all time, the rally-spec Stratos won the World Rally Championship in 1974, 1975 and 1976. Gandini also designed the Ferrari Dino 308/GT4, which became the first rear mid-engine V8 Ferrari to go into production.
Gandini served as co-designer for the first-generation BMW 5 Series
Gandini was also responsible for the inception of the BMW ‘Garmisch’ concept, which went on to inspire the creation of the original BMW 5 Series. He himself served as one of the co-designers for the first-generation 5 Series that debuted in 1972 and was in production till 1981.
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The Lamborghini Countach was the first production car to feature scissor doors
Another popular design element introduced by Gandini were scissor doors, first featured in the Alfa Romeo 33 Carabo concept car, before being introduced in the production-spec Lamborghini Countach. Scissor doors have since become an integral design element in all V12-powered Lamborghini cars to date, including the latest one, the Revuelto.
The Tamo Racemo concept was among Gandini's final automotive designs.
Post 1980, Gandini left Bertone to pursue interests in automotive, industrial, and architectural design. Among his final works was Tata Motors' Tamo Racemo sports coupe concept, which was showcased at the 87th Geneva Motor Show, but never made it to production.
