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"Giovanni Michelotti" exhibition in Aigle - a deep insight into the work of an exceptional designer

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Created on June 23, 2022

Text:

Bruno von Rotz

Photos:

Bruno von Rotz

Jaguar XK 150 Ghia Aigle (1958) - in the exhibition "Genie e Elégance - L'Automobile par Giovanni Michelotti"

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Production cars and one-offs with Michelotti's signature - exhibition "Genius and Elegance - L'Automobile par Giovanni Michelotti"

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One special body (Alfa Romeo Giuliett), two production cars - all by Michelotti - exhibition "Genie e Elégance - L'Automobile par Giovanni Michelotti"

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Of the 1,200 or so cars designed by Michelotti, the majority were one-offs - "Genius and Elegance - L'Automobile par Giovanni Michelotti" exhibition

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Alfa Romeo Giulietta Conrero "Goccia" (1961) - in the exhibition "Genie e Elégance - L'Automobile par Giovanni Michelotti"

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Excerpts from various projects on large display walls - exhibition "Genie e Elégance - L'Automobile par Giovanni Michelotti"

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BMW 1600-2 (1970) - in the exhibition "Genie e Elégance - L'Automobile par Giovanni Michelotti"

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Alpine-Renault A110 1300 (1971) - in the exhibition "Genie e Elégance - L'Automobile par Giovanni Michelotti"

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DAF 44 (1969) - in the exhibition "Genie e Elégance - L'Automobile par Giovanni Michelotti"

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Triumph Stag V8 (1975) - in the exhibition "Genie e Elégance - L'Automobile par Giovanni Michelotti"

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Triumph Spitfire 1500 (1974) - in the exhibition "Genie e Elégance - L'Automobile par Giovanni Michelotti"

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Michelotti's unique pieces for the Geneva Motor Show - Exhibition "Genie e Elégance - L'Automobile par Giovanni Michelotti"

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Michelotti Triumph Ginevra TR5 (1968) - in the exhibition "Genie e Elégance - L'Automobile par Giovanni Michelotti"

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Michelotti BLMC Beach Car (1971) - in the exhibition "Genie e Elégance - L'Automobile par Giovanni Michelotti"

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Michelotti Fiat 125 Ginevra (1969) - in the exhibition "Genie e Elégance - L'Automobile par Giovanni Michelotti"

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Michelotti BLMC Beach Car (1100) (1971) - in the exhibition "Genie e Elégance - L'Automobile par Giovanni Michelotti"

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The Moretti 1600 GS is the only car in the exhibition that was not designed by Michelotti but by his pupil Dany Brawand - Exhibition "Genie e Elégance - L'Automobile par Giovanni Michelotti"

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Twice Vignale, twice Moretti - Michelotti's signature is visible in all of them, even if the Moretti 1600 GS was designed by Dany Brawand - "Genie e Elégance - L'Automobile par Giovanni Michelotti" exhibition

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Vignale Fiat Rendez-Vous (Fiat 600) (1959) - in the exhibition "Genie e Elégance - L'Automobile par Giovanni Michelotti"

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Lancia Aurelia B52 Vignale (1952) - in the exhibition "Genie e Elégance - L'Automobile par Giovanni Michelotti"

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Moretti 1600 GS (1969) - in the exhibition "Genie e Elégance - L'Automobile par Giovanni Michelotti"

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Moretti Tour-du-Monde 750 (1958) - in the exhibition "Genie e Elégance - L'Automobile par Giovanni Michelotti"

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MG TD Coupé Vignale (1953) - in the exhibition "Genie e Elégance - L'Automobile par Giovanni Michelotti"

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Triumph Italia Vignale (TR3) (1959) - in the exhibition "Genie e Elégance - L'Automobile par Giovanni Michelotti"

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Drawings for the Triumph Italia - Exhibition "Genie e Elégance - L'Automobile par Giovanni Michelotti"

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Three elegant Michelotti creations for Ghia-Aigle based on Alfa Romeo, MG and Jaguar - "Genie e Elégance - L'Automobile par Giovanni Michelotti" exhibition

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Works for Ghia-Aigle - Exhibition "Genie e Elégance - L'Automobile par Giovanni Michelotti"

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Alfa Romeo 1900C Ghia Aigle (1959) - in the exhibition "Genie e Elégance - L'Automobile par Giovanni Michelotti"

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Ghia-Aigle/Lugano-Badge - Exhibition "Genie e Elégance - L'Automobile par Giovanni Michelotti"

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Silvio Cibien is happy to guide visitors through the exhibition - Exhibition "Genie e Elégance - L'Automobile par Giovanni Michelotti"

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MG TD Ghia Aigle (1953) - in the exhibition "Genie e Elégance - L'Automobile par Giovanni Michelotti"

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Moretti Alger Le Cap (1955) - in the exhibition "Genie e Elégance - L'Automobile par Giovanni Michelotti"

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Michelotti dress for the Bugatti 57 SC - Exhibition "Genie e Elégance - L'Automobile par Giovanni Michelotti"

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Design drawing for the post-war Bugatti - exhibition "Genie e Elégance - L'Automobile par Giovanni Michelotti"

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Design for the Prince Skyline - Exhibition "Genie e Elégance - L'Automobile par Giovanni Michelotti"

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The Michelotti team at the center - exhibition "Genie e Elégance - L'Automobile par Giovanni Michelotti"

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Michelotti's Ferrari designs - Exhibition "Genie e Elégance - L'Automobile par Giovanni Michelotti"

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Various designs by Michelotti - exhibition "Genie e Elégance - L'Automobile par Giovanni Michelotti"

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Summary

Giovanni Michelotti designed around 1200 automobiles in his lifetime. This certainly makes him one of the most productive, but also one of the most versatile designers. He designed series cars for manufacturers such as BMW, DAF and Triumph and countless special bodies and small series for coachbuilders such as Ghia, Vignale and Bertone. This work was honored in an exhibition in Aigle. This report takes the visitor on a virtual tour of the exhibition and shows the exhibits in pictures.

This article contains the following chapters

Extremely productive
Three exhibition areas
Informative

Estimated reading time: 4min

Preview (beginning of the article)

The exhibition on the life and work of Giovanni Michelotti lasted six weeks (from May 14 to June 26, 2022) in Aigle. The special show entitled "Genie e Elégance - L'Automobile par Giovanni Michelotti" was more than just worth seeing. Why in Aigle, you might ask? Because one of Michelotti's clients, the coachbuilder "Ghia Aigle", was based there in the 1950s. It is therefore no coincidence that this phase of Michelotti's career is given particular attention. Giovanni Michelotti (1921 to 1980) hardly ever rested in his life, otherwise it would be impossible to explain the fact that around 1200 vehicles were created by his hand. These are divided into cars that he designed as special bodies or mini-series mainly for large coachbuilders such as Vignale, Bertone or Ghia, cars that he built himself in his own coachbuilding company (mostly as one-offs) and cars that he developed for large car companies and which then made it into large-scale production.

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