Giovanni Michelotti, the workaholic among sheet metal cutters

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Giovanni Michelotti, the workaholic among sheet metal cutters

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Created on April 25, 2013

Text:

Stefan Fritschi

Photos:

Daniel Reinhard

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Bruno von Rotz

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G. Michelotti sketches the Cisitalia coupé on the road (1953)

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G. Michelotti during the transfer to the drawing (1953)

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G. Michelotti measures a prototype at Vignale (1952/53)

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R. Braunschweig (Editor-in-Chief AR), G. Michelotti and A. Vignale (1953)

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R. Braunschweig (Editor-in-Chief AR) , G. Michelotti and A. Vignale (1953)

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G. Michelotti with A. Vignale and R. Braunschweig (Editor-in-Chief AR) (1953)

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G. Michelotti with A. Vignale and R. Braunschweig (Editor-in-Chief AR) (1953)

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Abarth 850 (1959) - pretty coupé, designed by Michelotti

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Abarth 850 (1959) - with very pure lines (Michelotti)

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Abarth 850 (1959) - Comfortable interior of the Michelotti creation

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Abarth Siata 600 Vignale (1959) - shown in Turin 1959, sketch by Michelotti

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Abarth Siata 750 Vignale (1959) - presented in Turin 1959, sketch by Michelotti

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Alfa Romeo 2000 (1960) - Vignale shows two coupés designed by Michelotti - the Fiat 1500 on the right - at the 1960 Geneva Motor Show

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Alfa Romeo Giulietta Goccia (1961) - a design by Michelotti

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Alfa Romeo Giulietta Goccia (1961) - beautiful special body coupé by Michelotti

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Alfa Romeo Giulietta Goccia (1961) - magnificent lines by Michelotti

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BMW LS (1963) - above-average space and amazing driving performance

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BMW 700 Sport (1961) - the BMW at the 1961 Geneva Motor Show

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BMW 700 LS (1962) - Giovanni Michelotti had done a great job with the design

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BMW 2000 CS (1965) - side view, rear-left

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Cunningham C3 (1952) - the design by Michelotti

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DAF 600 (1959) - view from diagonally above

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DAF 600 (1959) - often driven by women - from a sales brochure

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DAF 55 Siluro (1968) - an early example of wedge-shaped design, picture taken in 1986

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DAF 66 Sedan SL (1973) - new front end, revised automatic transmission - at the 1973 Geneva Motor Show

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DAF Kini beach car (1967) - photographed at the 1967 Geneva Motor Show

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DAF Kini beach car (1967) - photographed at the 1967 Geneva Motor Show

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Ferrari 212 Vignale Coupé (1952) - beautiful design by Michelotti, exhibited in Turin in 1952

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Ferrari 212 Vignale Coupé (1952) - beautiful design by Michelotti

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Ferrari 212 Inter (1952) - a Michelotti design dressed by Ghia Aigle, which was only shown in the final days of the show

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Fiat 1100 Stabilimenti Farina (1949) - design by Michelotti, visually not dissimilar to the Cisitalia 202

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Fiat 1200 Spyder (1963) - Sketch, Michelotti design

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Fiat 1500 Spyder Vignale (1959) - presented in Turin in 1959, sketch by Michelotti

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Fiat 1500 Vignale (1959) - shown in Turin in 1959, sketch by Michelotti

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Fiat 128 Coupé Michelotti (1972) - Sketch of the Michelotti design

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Fiat 132 S Coupé 'Flares' (1972) - designed in the style of the time by Michelotti

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Fiat 132 S Coupé 'Flares' (1972) - wedge-shaped and with a low nose, Michelotti design

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Fiat 132 S Coupé 'Flares' (1972) - Folding headlights on the Michelotti Coupé

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Fiat 132 Flares (1973) - pretty, completely chrome-free coupé by Michelotti - at the 1973 Geneva Motor Show

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Fiat 128 'Pulsar' Michelotti at the 1972 Geneva Motor Show - Coupé built by Giovanni Michelotti on a Giannini-tuned 128-series mechanics

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Fiat 8V 'Demon Rouge' (1953) - a one-off by Giovanni Michelotti, first shown at the 1953 Turin Salon, now part of the collection of the Louwman Museum in The Hague

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Fiat 8V 'Demon Rouge', Vignale (1955) - exhibited at the 1955 Turin Motor Show

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Fiat 8V 'Demon Rouge' (1953) - designed by Giovanni Michelotti, built by Vignale

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Fiat 8V 'Demon Rouge', Vignale (1955) - exhibited at the 1955 Turin Motor Show

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Hino Contessa Sprint (1963) - elegant bodywork by Michelotti on this sports car from Japan

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Jaguar D Type GT (1963) - shaped by Giovanni Michelotti into a beautifully designed Gran Turismo with more interior space and even a trunk

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Lancia Flaminia GT Spyder Vignale (1959) - special bodywork, drawn by Michelotti (sketch), shown in Turin in 1959

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Maserati 3500 GT Spider (1959) - the Vignale Spider is based on a design by Michelotti, presented in Turin in 1959, sketch by Michelotti

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Maserati 5000 GT (1961) - Models by Michelotti

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Maserati 5000 GT (1961) - Michelotti's style study

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Maserati 5000 GT (1961) - style study by Michelotti

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Maserati 5000 GT (1961) - style study by Michelotti

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Maserati 5000 GT (1962) - with fuel injection, masterful design by Michelotti

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Maserati 5000 GT (1962) - the interior of the Michelotti version

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Maserati 5000 GT (1962) - Michelotti was ahead of his time - headlights closed

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Maserati 5000 GT (1962) - Michelotti was ahead of his time - open headlights

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Maserati 3500 GT (1962) - open Vignale convertible designed by Michelotti at an exhibition

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Michelotti Matra-Laser (1971) - the name Laser symbolizes speed - Geneva Motor Show 1971

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Michelotti Matra-Laser (1971) - wide, low rear end - Geneva Motor Show 1971

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Meccanica Maniero Ford 4700 GT (1967) - hatchback coupé, designed by Michelotti (short designation MM 4700 GT)

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Michelotti Boudot-Conrero (1962) - Similarities with Alpine vehicles are obvious, but this car had nothing to do with Alpine, but was built according to a Michelotti design for Sig. Jacques Meyerie

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Michelotti Boudot-Conrero (1962) - around 95 hp, thanks to Conrero-Dauphine engine with Bialbero head, design by Michelotti

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Michelotti Boudot-Conrero (1962) - equipped with a Renault Dauphine engine with OHC head (testa bi'albero montata su basamento Dauphine), design of course by Michelotti

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Nardi 750 ND Coupé Vignale (1958) - Design by Michelotti

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Nissan Skyline Sport Coupé (1960) - presented in Turin in 1960, built by Allemano, sketch by Michelotti

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Reliant SS1 (1986) - shown as the Scimitar 1600 TI model at the British Motor Show in Birmingham in 1986, the last design by Giovanni Michelotti

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Renault Cabriolet HCV Allemano (1956) - shown in Paris in 1956, design by Michelotti

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Rolls-Royce (1955) - special body designed by Michelotti and built by Vignale for Mr. J.J. Mascuch of New York

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Singer SM (1953) - with body designed by Michelotti, built by Ghia Aigle - at the Geneva Motor Show in 1953

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Triumph 1600 GT (1964) - special bodywork by Michelotti - on show at the 1964 Geneva Motor Show

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Triumph Vitesse (1964) - the elegant coupé by Michelotti at the 1964 Geneva Motor Show

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Triumph Vitesse (1964) - Emblem on the flank of the Michelotti coupé at the 1964 Geneva Motor Show

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Triumph Vitesse (1964) - Steering wheel and dashboard of the Michelotti one-off at the 1964 Geneva Motor Show

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Triumph Michelotti Vignale (1958) - shown at the Geneva Motor Show in 1958, this Michelotti "dream car" anticipated certain features of the upcoming TR 4

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Triumph Italia Vignale (1959) - the 'Italia' coupé variant also designed by Michelotti

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Triumph Italia (1961) - the design was by Giovanni Michelotti

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Triumph Italia (1961) - based on the TR 3, but the TR 4 can already be seen here

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Triumph Italia (1961) - Triumph did not build closed vehicles in England at that time

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Triumph Italia (1961) - English-Italian cooperation

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Triumph Italia (1961) - the instruments are identical to the TR 3

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Triumph TR 4 (1961) - outstandingly successful by Michelotti

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Triumph TR 5 Ginevra (1968) - Chassis X-760, built in a very short time, design/build Michelotti

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Triumph Stag (1974) - with attached hardtop, the car for the castle owner

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Triumph Stag (1971) - masterpiece by Giovanni Michelotti - exhibited at the 1971 Geneva Motor Show

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British Leyland Elektro at the Geneva Motor Show 1972 - electric car designed by Michelotti

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Michelotti (1969) - Advertisement from 1969 -

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Michelotti (1964) - Advertisement from 1964 -

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Michelotti (1979) - Advertisement from 1979 -

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Summary

According to available information, Giovanni Michelotti (October 6, 1921 to January 23, 1980) is said to have designed over 1200 cars. That is an astonishing number. And even if you include all the minor facelifts or variations, his influence is far greater than the fame of his name. The BMW 700 styled by Michelotti, for example, was the lifeline of the white-blue brand and shaped the brand image for years to come. This article explores Michelotti's work and shows some of his well-known and lesser-known designs, as well as Michelotti at work in over 90 pictures, some of which have never been shown before.

This article contains the following chapters

There was a football break on Sunday afternoons
Just not a committee design
Endless list of series cars, small series and one-offs
Global thinking and many exotics
Hofmeister or Michelotti kink?
"Chief designer" at Triumph
Van Doorne's DAF with Variomatic
"Le Marquis" as the forefather of all Alpines
The last Michelotti
No "Michelotti style"
Selected series and special models
Selected concept cars and prototypes
Further information

Estimated reading time: 13min

Preview (beginning of the article)

According to available information, Giovanni Michelotti (October 6, 1921 to January 23, 1980) is said to have designed over 1200 cars. That is an astonishing number. And even if you include all the minor facelifts or variations, his influence is far greater than the fame of his name. The BMW 700 styled by Michelotti, for example, was the lifeline of the white-blue brand and shaped the brand image for years to come. Michelotti was born in Turin on October 6, 1921. He began his career as a 15-year-old in 1936, when he took up a position at Stabilimenti Farina. This should not be confused with Carrozzeria Pinin Farina. At that time, the profession of designer did not yet exist. Coachbuilders designed the superstructure for the chassis supplied. Depending on the customer's wishes, they were either allowed to fully express their talents or had to hold back. Giovanni Farina's trained eye quickly noticed how talented the young Giovanni was and encouraged him accordingly.

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