Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed this little homage to Michelotti. Truly an unsung hero, as here in Italy hardly anyone knows about him. When I drove my Spiftire, people didn't know what a Triumph was, let alone who styled it!
@@Matteo_Licata Grazie per il servizio. Sono Edgardo Michelotti, il figlio. Ho postato il tuo video sul mio profilo e molti hanno protestato perché conoscono bene Michelotti: quella frase "di cui non hai mai sentito parlare" l'hanno travisata: meglio. Ma hai ragione: la moltitudine di persone non conosce GM. Adesso qualcuno di più. Mandami la tua email, anche in privato se vuoi. Vorrei conoscerti meglio e fare due chiacchiere. Ciao
Grazie mille! Mi fa davvero molto piacere che abbia apprezzato questo mio piccolo omaggio all'opera di suo padre. Fra l'altro, complimenti vivissimi per la bellissima mostra al MAuto: vedere così tanti disegni originali è davvero unico, e fa piacere sapere che tutto questo tesoro di storia sia ben conservato ed in ottime mani. Le ho mandato i miei contatti attraverso il modulo sul suo sito web.
Michelotti - of course I’ve heard of him - he designed most of the great 60s Triumph cars! Superb designer! The GT6 is probably my favourite of his designs.
A rare case of an Italian designer being more famous in Britain than in his native country, due to his exceptional relationship with Triumph. His BMW models and the Alpine A110 are my own favourites though.
What a wonderful tribute to a lesser know styling icon. As a Brit I never knew such “British” classics were attributed to an Italian genius. I do proud that our two countrymen worked together to produce these wonderful cars.
Michelotti designed the Leyland National bus, which has a special place in my memory as my Mum and I would travel on them when I was a kid. Also a great looking, clean design. 😊
Didn't know Michelotti designed the best looking Tiumphs: I've always wondering why the TR4 and even much the Spirfire were so clearly more refined than the usual British standards. Now I know. Thanks again Matteo.
He was unavailable to design the TR6 so they turned to Karmann of Germany instead. You can clearly see the different styling philosophies from the 4 to the 6 which used essentially the same chassis and doors. The styling of the 6 is much more subdued and angular. I've always been more partial to the 4 myself.
Michelotti is interesting in the way his design house was so closely knit to him personally. Other design houses like Ghia, Pininfarina, and Bertone could hire a plethora of designers that made designs for the house uncredited. Some of them rose to the stars under their own names, like Gandini and Giugario, but when Michelotti died his name and recognition died with him. In that, he was much like the designer Pietro Frua, who shared a similar fate. I just think it's interesting how Michelotti was so personally involved, in contrast to people like Nuccio Bertone, who rather hired other talented people to do the work for him.
Very true. The firm did not survive long without Giovanni at the helm. Also very true the fact that Michelotti was an actual designer, unlike Nuccio Bertone and Sergio Pininfarina. But we must give to Nuccio the credit for recognizing and investing on young talent: that's how we got Giugiaro and Gandini, after all!
@@Matteo_Licata we owe to Bertone and Pininfarina the geniuses of an infinite number of innovative (sometimes revolutionary) ideas that they had the designers translate (to whom they dictated them)
Indeed. Part of me wish I had never sold that Spitfire, it's just so pretty... And fun to drive, as long as it doesn't rain and you're not on a motorway! Two Stags? Man, that's cool!
Giovanni Michelotti is my favourite stylist and I have owned dozens of his cars; mostly Triumphs - Heralds and Vitesses, Spitfires and GT6s, 2000s and Dolomites, but also a DAF 44, BMW 1500, Reliant SS1 and Lancia Appia Vignale convertible. I still lust after an Appia Lusso... one day I'll get one!
Here in Wales UK I have known of michelotti for a very long time and I have always rated him highly in the world of car design, I really like how you cover all aspects of Italian cars and the people behind them, this channel is excellent!.
I remember in 1959 when dad bought a Triumph Herald. There was a letter "M" on the two chrome bonnet/hood catches. We soon discovered that stood for Michelotti ! And I took my driving test in our Triumph 2000 mk1 in 1971. We were car enthusiasts so we knew of him, but most people probably had no idea of the Italian connection between Triumph & Michelotti.
Those same bonnet catches I had on my Spitfire, yes! I loved that detail, because it's oh-so-subtle. Those who know, know, the others won't even notice.
Three or four years ago, the annual Italian Car Day held every year by the various owners clubs here in Perth was actually devoted to Michelotti - and it was entertaining watching the looks of bemusement on some visitors' faces at the presence of the Triumph display.
A charming tribute. It is no surprise that many of the (presumably British) people leaving comments have heard of GM. For a generation or more of us, his pen drew our childhood dream cars. Thanks for the video. For me, the designer people have never heard of is the "almost Italian" Tom Tjaarda. A video on his work would be most welcome.
Greetings from a fellow designer who, as a child, his first family car he experienced (and drove on the laps of his father) was a BMW 1502 (and then a Lancia Prisma by Alessandro Porta). Keep up the great work
Oh yes. What a pretty car it is indeed. At one point, I considered importing one to Italy, given we never got it in period. Did your dad keep his Stag a long time?
I’ve rented a few cars through this company, based just around the lake. I think they got a Spitfire as well: www.noleggioautodepoca.eu/it/?jjj=1639570377140&jjj=1639570379955&jjj=1639570387142
Thank you for that episode! I love Vignale-bodied early Ferraris (212, 225 and 250), but had no idea that Michelotti was their designer. I remember seeing a striking yellow/black 212 coupe by Vignale at a Ferrari show in the UK in 1988.
Such a nice video! I knew about Michelotti having done the Triumph sports cars but when I visited a high-end classic car showroom in Dusseldorf I saw one of the very rare Triumph Italias, another car he designed but which was actually assembled in Italy using TR3 components. It was just beautiful and a shame that only around 330 were ever built.
Well I've owned my Michelotti styled Triumph Vitesse for over 40 years but never heard that story about the M on the bonnet catches before so thanks for sharing.
Thank you! I had those same nice bonnet catches on the Spitfire I once owned, and I loved that detail of it, the subtle reference only those who know will get!
What a portfolio! Michelotti is, thanks to Serbian, Croatian and Slovenian car magazines, pretty known if not famous here. I like how he even turned unpopular job into really attractive “2002-ish” redesign and reconstruction of »1300« & co into »Triumph Dolomite«. Don't want to “steal the show” from Michelotti but my first association on not-known-enough Italian is Dante Giacossa. If we calculate number of realized projects he was involved in, their success, volumes, influence and quality, I believe he must be by far the greatest car constructor so far.
Giacosa certainly is one of the all-time greats of automobile engineering, and although he wasn't a stylist, he must have had a keen eye for it too, given he oversaw the creation of such icons like the 500.
@@Matteo_Licata Designer is a good expression here: while in many languages it mean stylist, in English is almost a constructor. Reading his book "Forty years of design with Fiat" I got impression that here and there Giacossa had at least concrete influence on visual appearance of cars - in particular, part about sheets of thin used for »Nuova 500« make me think that way.
I always thought that the great tradition of pre-war French coachbuilders stopped in the 1950s, except for a few examples, including the fantastic Alpine A110. Then I discovered that Michelotti had designed it! He was more famous abroad than in Italy: "From the magic pen of Michelotti!" was a motto used in the UK on some of their B.L. models.
I didn't know that BL actually used Michelotti as a sales point in the UK. Regarding the A110, I'm told that Jean Redelé never actually paid what he owed to Michelotti!
Great video of a very worthy man. I agree on Italian car design - no other nation has produced more beautiful looking cars. I started when I was 18 in the 1980s with a Fiat X1/9 and that was such a great little sports car. I've since owned a number of Alfa-Romeos. Most of the classic Italian cars in your videos are way out of my price range but a couple of months ago I did by an Abarth 124 - the GT model with the carbon fibre roof and it's an absolutely fantastic car. Loving your videos, I'm still catching up with them all.
Wow, thank you very much for your appreciation and kind words. It's hearing and reading such things that keeps fueling my passion for videomaking and storytelling. Congratulations on your Abarth 124, by the way!
Talking of Michelotti and Triumph makes me once regret that his extraordinary Triumph Fury concept didn’t make it to production. Although the Stag would eventually fill that role the Fury, with its fabulous upscaled Spitfire looks, would’ve been the open top GT of my dreams.
The Fury is a beautiful car. That front end is exquisitely designed. Such a shame it was not put into production. The Stag is also very attractive, but looks conventional in comparison, which is testament to the Fury's design.
Certainly heard of him in the UK. Not only styling cars also styled Lorries. I believe he had a hand in styling the AEC/Albion/Leyland Ergomatic cab. His most impressive styling was the Scammell "Cheese grater Handyman/Trunker cab. I think he also had a hand updating the G cab fitted to the Leyland Clydesdale/Reiver/Terrier models. As mentioned styled the Leyland National bus and also the Scammell Townsman urban delivery artic. A truly gifted and prolific stylist. Agree with the comment citing the Spitfire as a beautiful car. Owned a Mark3 till 2005 but sold it along with a Mark4 to fund the purchase of a Stag. Another beautiful car. Wish I hadn't got rid of the Spit Mk3 now!!!!!!
Growing up in the 80's I read every car magazine I could get my hands on. I knew about Giorgetto Giugiaro, Marcello Gandini, Covini, and Fioravanti. Growing up I always wanted to be a car designer, but I never had the chance. I used to draw cars incessantly. I didn't know he liked Triumph so much. Or that he designed some of them. Can you please do some more videos on other car designers, like the ones I mentioned? Thanks.
TR4 and Spitfire are two of the most beautiful British cars. Ahead of the E-Type, well, at least in my view. Thanks for this interesting video, ciao 🙋♂️
Fun fact, the TR4 and the Spitfire share the same windscreen. It is mounted more upright on the TR4 and on a slightly faster angle on the Spitfire, but it is the same.
Do you refer to the Mk1, 2 and 3 Spitfires? Because I think the Mk4 had a different item. How do I know? Ordered a replacement 'screen for my Mk4 Spitfire through Anglo Parts, which mostly sells Moss stuff. They sent me a TR4 screen and there was no way to fit it
Im glad you showed the Reliant Scimitar SS1.I didnt think it was too bad back in the day,but it did not sell well,and certainly it would have struggled with the Mazda MX5 about to be unleashed!
Thanks. Some of my favorites here. I thought the herald saloon worked better than the coupe shown here. But the TR4/5 and GT6 were big favorites of mine. Much nicer looking than the tubby MGB. Loved the Stag as well. Friend had one. Rusted to pieces, sadly.
I do like the MGB, with a marked preference for the closed GT version, which has a really elegant vibe to it. But the Triumphs, thanks to Michelotti, were more flamboyant and sexy
@@Matteo_Licata I used to love playing with them in my motorbike days. Especially when the driver was trying to impress his girlfriend. Always made sure to wait until they were flat out, then change up as I went past.... Had a lift in one once, GT, really lovely lady driver. 'nuff said.
I can't wait for new video to be available, thanks for great work. I would like to ask you if you could share list of car's that you owned. It would be great to see what car's, person like you find attractive. Thanks, best regards from Serbia 🇷🇸👍
Thank you very much! I’m glad you enjoy so much my content. Well, the list of cars I’ve owned isn’t terribly exciting, as I’ve never had the means to purchase many cool cars. However, here you are, in chronological order of ownership: 2003 Mini Cooper (bought new) 1979 Citroën GS (failed resto project) 1976 Triumph Spitfire 1500 1997 Mazda MX5 NA 2003 Mazda MX5 NB 2009 Mazda MX5 NC 2017 Mazda MX5 ND (bought new)
@@Matteo_Licata Thanks for feedback. As I can see you are truly MX5 enthusiast. If you could choose one affordable classic car from 70'-80' but capable to be every day car, what would it be. Thanks once again and keep up good work. 👌😉👍
@@shone8866 Before answering, we need to define what "affordable" means, as that could mean different things to different people. However, I'd personally go for an Alfa Romeo 164 V6: eminently usable, well made, great style and engine, not expensive to buy. Parts could be an issue though, especially body and trim. A 75 2.0 TS would be a great buy too!
There's no evidence to support the video's claim that Michelotti had any involvement in the design/styling of the Neue Klasse 1500. He apparently did make a proposal for a two-door coupe version, which is shown in the video, but that was never built.
Well, drawings do exist in Michelotti's archive, regarding the 1500, 2002 and 2002 Touring too, plus other models as well. The drawings look very close indeed to the production cars. To be honest, I don't know why BMW is so coy about its Italian heritage... What's the point of denying it?
@@Matteo_Licata I would be interested to see those. I'm only going on what has been readily available. It's well known that he did provide the initial design for the 700, but I believe that was actually for the company Denzel, that took the lead in developing that car. If Michelotti did the drawings that directly led to the 1500, he certainly deserves the appropriate credit.
@@curbsideclassic At the exhibition currently held in Turin's national automobile museum, I've seen many BMW sketches directly from the old firm's archive. Not all shows in video, but I'll go back taking pictures. Furthermore, it's important to know that what's on display there is just the peak of the iceberg: the archive is believed to contain thousands of drawings.
😍😍🤩🤩 ..The Other Car Makers ..They Need a Italian Designer ..If Not its Just Another Boring Car To Look at Everyday ...R.I.P to Giovanni Michelotti ....
@@Matteo_Licata there are some car freaks like myself in Poland as well. My love to those italian shapes has no boundaries :) personally I have to admit that Your other movie has convince me to own other sport sedan straigh from Italy- Maserati 4.24v. I'm grateful for Your channel. Salute!
@@michaflak5174 You bought a Biturbo? That's cool! These cars are finally coming of age: most have been junked by now, leaving only the best ones around. Prices have been rising lately, not to huge levels but well out of banger territory, at last!
Well, Michelotti is probably one of the best known Italian designers in the UK. You missed off the Triumph 1500 and Dolomite - beautifully balanced designs. He also did the Daf 66 btw.
Michelotti always fascinated me because while other Italian designers mostly worked with Italian carmakers, with a few exceptions, Michelotti made other European carmakers famous at his expense :( Rumors are that Redele from Alipnes Renault never paid him for his penning the Alpine A310.
Di che auto si tratta a 1:55 una Cisitalia? Cercando il primo prototipo con cui ho scoperto il nome Michelotti (la Pura dell'88), adesso ho scoperto anche la Ferrari Meera. Tanta roba in catalogo! p.s. tante di Stag in Australia!
The designer of the daf 44 55 66 models.... Just look at the back of those dafs and compare it to the alfa giulia from the sixties... there is a michelotti exhibition in the daf museum in Eindhoven netherlands at the moment...
Those were designs made by his firm after the man's passing. The PAC is quite interesting, yes, and there's video footage of it too: ruclips.net/video/tz4qZLkO_aE/видео.html
You should have included the Triumph 2000 MK1 and MK2, a car that helped Triumph establish a modern image to the customers at this difficult period of time for the company. The car had such a timeless design that remained for 14 years in production with only a slight facelift. It even stole customers from the more upper class and expensive Jaguar 2.4 then.
Always heard he had had a hand in the design of the Jaguar E type. I also had a Spitfire, and it was slow until my father who was a genius with engines got a hold of it, then it really was a proper car!
Thanks to his involvement with Triumph, Michelotti is much better known in the UK than he's ever been here in his homeland. I remember that, when I owned the green Spitfire, people hardly knew what it was, let alone who styled it!
I think one of the advantages Michelotti had was that he worked alone , quickly and cheaply and was thus able to preserve his imagination and flair for the work..Alot of tallented designers who work for the major manufacturers studios have their enthusiasm and creativity crushed by dictatorial ,unreasonable, oppresive studio heads and company managers. Triumph did have a styling dept capable of producing some quality work but the then management favoured the work bought in from independants like Michelotti as a means to opress in house stylists who were reduced to drawing door handles and other mundane items. The Triumph stylists were further humiliated later when British Leyland used the work of an Austin stylist(Harris Mann ) to come up with the TR7 design.
I can fully relate, as I have been a car designer and know very well how frustrating it is to seemingly have every corporate function telling you what to do, plus the unreasonable studio bosses... Been there, done that! Michelotti worked alone for years, but it must be said that, by the 1960s, he did have a small pool of collaborators under him.
The BMW 1500-2 model is very interesting as it reveals that the so called "Hoffmeister Knick" the kink at the bottom of the C-pillar is actually a Michelotti idea ,often falsely attributed to Wilhelm Hofmeister head of BMW design at the time, furthermore that the iconic Michelotti style wrap around engine hood and boot lid so typical to the 1500 and other BMW models were not part of the design from the start!
Sad Michelotti was unable to finish the Reliant Scimitar SS1, have heard claims the SS1 proposal was either merely a recycling of a rejected Spitfire replacement proposal from a few years previously (in Double-edged sword: The Reliant Scimitar SS1 by Dan Lockton) or (more likely IMHO) a recycling of his Michelotti proposal for the Triumph Broadside project (see The Car Factoids twitter on Triumph Broadside for the SS1-like Michelotti Broadside design). Did wonder if Michelotti ever did any designs to help improve the looks of the Austin Allegro, Maxi and Princess.
Both scenarios are very much believable, the Broadside one especially so. I could try to ask Edgardo Michelotti, son of Giovanni and current custodian of the Michelotti archive, for his version of the story. He may never reply, but I can give it a shot :)
@@Matteo_Licata By all means you are welcome to give it a shot, would be worthwhile having Edgardo clear up the matter on the Reliant Scimitar SS1's origins. What makes things a bit less then straightforward would be how Broadside (also known as SC1 or Sports Car 1), was said to have been planned to come in two sizes to replace the TR7/MGB as well as the Spitfire/Midget (others phrase it as Broadside initially deigned to replace the Triumph TR7, but also to form the basis for the MGB and Midget replacements with a 1.7 O-Series version being mooted for production at one point).
Why is it that only Italians are able to design the most beautiful cars. Off course, other countries made a few, but do not remotely compare to the amount produced in Italy.
Well, I don’t know. However, I don’t think it’s a matter of being actually Italian, as there have been quite a few foreigners working in Italy for Italian companies, especially over the last 30 years.
Only need to look at their history including artist, sculptors, etc. They also designed, built most of the buildings of Moscow, St. Petersburg, not to mention most of western civilization is based on their art, laws, religion, etc etc. Look at the Capitol office building in Washington DC, and St. Peters Basilica.
@@Matteo_Licata greatly appreciated! Maybe Spada might be a nice followup to Michelotti as many would maybe amazed by some well known designs he did. Love all these designers, but my favorite is still Giugiaro as I think he is one of the most versatile ones really. Really had an influence on how the streets looked in the late 70s and 80s. Big volume cars that looked good and a couple of my favorite Alfa Romeos. After him I would have to make a choice between Gandini and Spada, difficult, they’re all great designers. I think Giugiaro, Gandini, and another important one who’s name I forgot, are all born in 1938. A good year :) a pity there always was such rivalry between G and G
@@delahayenator I'm a massive Giugiaro fan myself, so I can fully relate! By the way, I've decided to make a series of these "designers" videos, so I'm definitely going to tackle Spada sooner or later.
Yes, the Chevy Corvair had a massive influence on European car design, with many manufacturers implementing its stylistic features: NSU Prinz 4, Fiat 1500… And yes, the BMW’s side section
You don’t need to go out of Earth’s atmosphere to find people who have no idea who Michelotti was. In Italy, where I’m from, his work is largely unknown even among car enthusiasts. But I know that in the UK he’s much better remembered, due to the Triumph connection.
We’ve heard of him in the UK as he played such a big role in some pretty good British cars - thanks for the video and great to keep his memory alive
"From the magic pen of Michelotti!" was a motto user by BL, indeed, as I already wrote in another post
Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed this little homage to Michelotti. Truly an unsung hero, as here in Italy hardly anyone knows about him. When I drove my Spiftire, people didn't know what a Triumph was, let alone who styled it!
@@Matteo_Licata Grazie per il servizio. Sono Edgardo Michelotti, il figlio. Ho postato il tuo video sul mio profilo e molti hanno protestato perché conoscono bene Michelotti: quella frase "di cui non hai mai sentito parlare" l'hanno travisata: meglio. Ma hai ragione: la moltitudine di persone non conosce GM. Adesso qualcuno di più.
Mandami la tua email, anche in privato se vuoi. Vorrei conoscerti meglio e fare due chiacchiere. Ciao
Grazie mille! Mi fa davvero molto piacere che abbia apprezzato questo mio piccolo omaggio all'opera di suo padre. Fra l'altro, complimenti vivissimi per la bellissima mostra al MAuto: vedere così tanti disegni originali è davvero unico, e fa piacere sapere che tutto questo tesoro di storia sia ben conservato ed in ottime mani.
Le ho mandato i miei contatti attraverso il modulo sul suo sito web.
How is it that this channel only has 23.8k subscribers.
I can’t wrap my head around that.
Michelotti - of course I’ve heard of him - he designed most of the great 60s Triumph cars! Superb designer! The GT6 is probably my favourite of his designs.
Couldn't agree more!
Mine too! (I've got one.)
The Stag is my all time favorite from Michelotti
YES!!!!
Finally, somebody made a video about him. Man is an unsung hero, having created design masterpieces like the Triumph Stag
I'm glad you enjoyed it!!! Love the Stag, it looks great to this day
A rare case of an Italian designer being more famous in Britain than in his native country, due to his exceptional relationship with Triumph. His BMW models and the Alpine A110 are my own favourites though.
Indeed. In Italy few people remember his name, and even fewer knew what my Spitfire was, when I drove it around.
BMW has to thank Michelotti for making its fortune from the late 60s onwards
Always been one of my favourites. The TR4a is something truly special.
I own a TR-250
What a wonderful tribute to a lesser know styling icon. As a Brit I never knew such “British” classics were attributed to an Italian genius. I do proud that our two countrymen worked together to produce these wonderful cars.
Michelotti designed the Leyland National bus, which has a special place in my memory as my Mum and I would travel on them when I was a kid. Also a great looking, clean design. 😊
Indeed. That's something we've never seen here in Italy, but I've learned about it through British enthusiasts.
Both myself and my dad both drive the Leyland National bus ashore jobs. Bravo Michelotti for such wonderful cars and other vehicles
Didn't know Michelotti designed the best looking Tiumphs: I've always wondering why the TR4 and even much the Spirfire were so clearly more refined than the usual British standards. Now I know. Thanks again Matteo.
You're welcome, thank you!
Michelotti also did the Triumph 1300 and 2000. I suspect he also did the Fury convertible prototype based on the 2000 underpinnings
He was unavailable to design the TR6 so they turned to Karmann of Germany instead. You can clearly see the different styling philosophies from the 4 to the 6 which used essentially the same chassis and doors. The styling of the 6 is much more subdued and angular. I've always been more partial to the 4 myself.
Michelotti is interesting in the way his design house was so closely knit to him personally. Other design houses like Ghia, Pininfarina, and Bertone could hire a plethora of designers that made designs for the house uncredited. Some of them rose to the stars under their own names, like Gandini and Giugario, but when Michelotti died his name and recognition died with him. In that, he was much like the designer Pietro Frua, who shared a similar fate. I just think it's interesting how Michelotti was so personally involved, in contrast to people like Nuccio Bertone, who rather hired other talented people to do the work for him.
Interesting comment, I think the same.
He was a lighting star that burned like a comet
Very true. The firm did not survive long without Giovanni at the helm. Also very true the fact that Michelotti was an actual designer, unlike Nuccio Bertone and Sergio Pininfarina. But we must give to Nuccio the credit for recognizing and investing on young talent: that's how we got Giugiaro and Gandini, after all!
@@Matteo_Licata we owe to Bertone and Pininfarina the geniuses of an infinite number of innovative (sometimes revolutionary) ideas that they had the designers translate (to whom they dictated them)
Beautiful homage. Having previously owned a Spitfire and now 2 Stags I can concur, it may be slow and shoddily built, but it is stunning. :-)
Indeed. Part of me wish I had never sold that Spitfire, it's just so pretty... And fun to drive, as long as it doesn't rain and you're not on a motorway!
Two Stags? Man, that's cool!
Giovanni Michelotti is my favourite stylist and I have owned dozens of his cars; mostly Triumphs - Heralds and Vitesses, Spitfires and GT6s, 2000s and Dolomites, but also a DAF 44, BMW 1500, Reliant SS1 and Lancia Appia Vignale convertible. I still lust after an Appia Lusso... one day I'll get one!
Wow, you've owned plenty of very cool cars, that's great!
The Appia convertible is very elegant, and those Lancias really were mechanical jewels
Here in Wales UK I have known of michelotti for a very long time and I have always rated him highly in the world of car design, I really like how you cover all aspects of Italian cars and the people behind them, this channel is excellent!.
Thank you very much! Yes, Michelotti is much better known among UK enthusiasts, due to the Triumph connection.
Thank you for this small homage to this great designer.
Glad you like it! Such material hardly gets any views, but I'm nevertheless proud of having such videos on the channel :)
Excellent designer, I worked with his son Edgardo in the 80s.
Really?
Could you please tell me more about that experience? Thank you in advance!
I remember in 1959 when dad bought a Triumph Herald. There was a letter "M" on the two chrome bonnet/hood catches. We soon discovered that stood for Michelotti ! And I took my driving test in our Triumph 2000 mk1 in 1971. We were car enthusiasts so we knew of him, but most people probably had no idea of the Italian connection between Triumph & Michelotti.
Those same bonnet catches I had on my Spitfire, yes! I loved that detail, because it's oh-so-subtle. Those who know, know, the others won't even notice.
Italian Design always leads! 👍✌️🤟🇮🇹☝️
great designer indeed!!!!
This is so freaking cool ,
Glad you enjoyed it, thank you!
Three or four years ago, the annual Italian Car Day held every year by the various owners clubs here in Perth was actually devoted to Michelotti - and it was entertaining watching the looks of bemusement on some visitors' faces at the presence of the Triumph display.
I have never known of this icon making name until this video. Thank you so much!
Thank you very much!
A charming tribute.
It is no surprise that many of the (presumably British) people leaving comments have heard of GM. For a generation or more of us, his pen drew our childhood dream cars.
Thanks for the video.
For me, the designer people have never heard of is the "almost Italian" Tom Tjaarda. A video on his work would be most welcome.
Yes indeed, Michelotti is much better known in the UK than in Italy, all thanks to the Triumphs. One day I'll certainly cover Tjaarda too
Greetings from a fellow designer who, as a child, his first family car he experienced (and drove on the laps of his father) was a BMW 1502 (and then a Lancia Prisma by Alessandro Porta). Keep up the great work
Very cool! Thank you!!!
What a brilliant video !!!
I knew the name, but not the volume of important designs he produced 👏👏👏👏👏👏
Thank you very much, glad you liked it!
The Triumph Stag is so beautiful. My dad bought one from new when I was young. A wonderful designer never to be forgotten
Oh yes. What a pretty car it is indeed. At one point, I considered importing one to Italy, given we never got it in period. Did your dad keep his Stag a long time?
@@Matteo_Licata Sadly no. It suffered from head gasket problems. He ended up with a Rover 3500 V8.
@@devasurfer Head gasket problems... Stags were notorious for those, sadly. Love the Rover too, by the way!
He truly was one of the greatest. One that was more focused on automotive design and challenges than personal pr.
Of course we have heard of him! Owned a few of his designs.
In the UK, Michelotti is much better known than in his homeland, that’s for sure!
Great video for an underrated hero. By the way, there is also a Michelotti exposition right now in the DAF museum in Eindhoven, The Netherlands
Interesting
Thanks for the info! I hope I'll be able to check it out!
My first holiday memories from childhood: my father’s Triumph Spitfire Mk3 at Lago di Garda 🥰🥰🥰 in the early 70s. Thank you for sharing! 🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾❤️❤️❤️
Wow, that’s fantastic! I’ve driven a few classic roadsters around lake Garda, so I know how special it feels :)
@@Matteo_Licata Wow! I need to recreate that one day for myself. I think that would be an awesome experience 🥰✨✨✨
I’ve rented a few cars through this company, based just around the lake. I think they got a Spitfire as well: www.noleggioautodepoca.eu/it/?jjj=1639570377140&jjj=1639570379955&jjj=1639570387142
Thank you for that episode! I love Vignale-bodied early Ferraris (212, 225 and 250), but had no idea that Michelotti was their designer. I remember seeing a striking yellow/black 212 coupe by Vignale at a Ferrari show in the UK in 1988.
Yes, Michelotti had a very close working relationship with Alfredo Vignale, and most of his cars were styled by him. Glad you enjoyed the video!
Such a nice video! I knew about Michelotti having done the Triumph sports cars but when I visited a high-end classic car showroom in Dusseldorf I saw one of the very rare Triumph Italias, another car he designed but which was actually assembled in Italy using TR3 components. It was just beautiful and a shame that only around 330 were ever built.
Thank you! Yes, the Triumph Italia is a truly lovely car that deserved a much larger production. It’s a long time since I last saw one, by the way!
Well I've owned my Michelotti styled Triumph Vitesse for over 40 years but never heard that story about the M on the bonnet catches before so thanks for sharing.
Thank you! I had those same nice bonnet catches on the Spitfire I once owned, and I loved that detail of it, the subtle reference only those who know will get!
What a portfolio! Michelotti is, thanks to Serbian, Croatian and Slovenian car magazines, pretty known if not famous here. I like how he even turned unpopular job into really attractive “2002-ish” redesign and reconstruction of »1300« & co into »Triumph Dolomite«.
Don't want to “steal the show” from Michelotti but my first association on not-known-enough Italian is Dante Giacossa. If we calculate number of realized projects he was involved in, their success, volumes, influence and quality, I believe he must be by far the greatest car constructor so far.
Giacosa certainly is one of the all-time greats of automobile engineering, and although he wasn't a stylist, he must have had a keen eye for it too, given he oversaw the creation of such icons like the 500.
@@Matteo_Licata Designer is a good expression here: while in many languages it mean stylist, in English is almost a constructor. Reading his book "Forty years of design with Fiat" I got impression that here and there Giacossa had at least concrete influence on visual appearance of cars - in particular, part about sheets of thin used for »Nuova 500« make me think that way.
@@037dusan Yes indeed. Moreover, Fiat's "centro stile" was established largely thanks to Giacosa.
I always thought that the great tradition of pre-war French coachbuilders stopped in the 1950s, except for a few examples, including the fantastic Alpine A110.
Then I discovered that Michelotti had designed it!
He was more famous abroad than in Italy: "From the magic pen of Michelotti!" was a motto used in the UK on some of their B.L. models.
I didn't know that BL actually used Michelotti as a sales point in the UK. Regarding the A110, I'm told that Jean Redelé never actually paid what he owed to Michelotti!
congrats ,another most informative video from you, Did he design any cars for Fiat, if so which ones?
Yes, FIAT most of all, but fuoriserie (custom-built)
What fantastic short videos! Learned a lot. Grazie! Buon lavoro et tanti auguri!
Thank you very much and Happy New Year!
That Alfa is GGGGGORGIUS!! Wow masterpiece!
Great video of a very worthy man. I agree on Italian car design - no other nation has produced more beautiful looking cars. I started when I was 18 in the 1980s with a Fiat X1/9 and that was such a great little sports car. I've since owned a number of Alfa-Romeos. Most of the classic Italian cars in your videos are way out of my price range but a couple of months ago I did by an Abarth 124 - the GT model with the carbon fibre roof and it's an absolutely fantastic car.
Loving your videos, I'm still catching up with them all.
Wow, thank you very much for your appreciation and kind words. It's hearing and reading such things that keeps fueling my passion for videomaking and storytelling. Congratulations on your Abarth 124, by the way!
Talking of Michelotti and Triumph makes me once regret that his extraordinary Triumph Fury concept didn’t make it to production. Although the Stag would eventually fill that role the Fury, with its fabulous upscaled Spitfire looks, would’ve been the open top GT of my dreams.
The Fury is a beautiful car. That front end is exquisitely designed. Such a shame it was not put into production. The Stag is also very attractive, but looks conventional in comparison, which is testament to the Fury's design.
Certainly heard of him in the UK.
Not only styling cars also styled Lorries.
I believe he had a hand in styling the AEC/Albion/Leyland Ergomatic cab.
His most impressive styling was the Scammell "Cheese grater Handyman/Trunker cab.
I think he also had a hand updating the G cab fitted to the Leyland Clydesdale/Reiver/Terrier models.
As mentioned styled the Leyland National bus and also the Scammell Townsman urban delivery artic.
A truly gifted and prolific stylist.
Agree with the comment citing the Spitfire as a beautiful car. Owned a Mark3 till 2005 but sold it along with a Mark4 to fund the purchase of a Stag. Another beautiful car.
Wish I hadn't got rid of the Spit Mk3 now!!!!!!
As always well documented, your videos are getting to awesome points : as Michelotti, awesome jewels !! Good job 👏… immediately going to be shared !
Wow, thank you very much! I’m very happy you liked so much this video!
I own a Triumph TR-250, thank you sir I love every bit of it....
That's a lovely car. I had the pleasure to drive its replacement model, the TR6, and loved it to bits... But the TR250 looked much, much better!
Growing up in the 80's I read every car magazine I could get my hands on. I knew about Giorgetto Giugiaro, Marcello Gandini, Covini, and Fioravanti. Growing up I always wanted to be a car designer, but I never had the chance. I used to draw cars incessantly. I didn't know he liked Triumph so much. Or that he designed some of them. Can you please do some more videos on other car designers, like the ones I mentioned? Thanks.
More videos on great designers are definitely on the agenda, thank you!
TR4 and Spitfire are two of the most beautiful British cars. Ahead of the E-Type, well, at least in my view. Thanks for this interesting video, ciao 🙋♂️
Glad you enjoyed it!
One of my favourite cars I've owned was a '68 Triumph 1300 saloon. I believe that was his design too.
Yes it was, indeed. Michelotti styled most of Triumph's best sellers during the 60s, with few exceptions
Fun fact, the TR4 and the Spitfire share the same windscreen. It is mounted more upright on the TR4 and on a slightly faster angle on the Spitfire, but it is the same.
Do you refer to the Mk1, 2 and 3 Spitfires? Because I think the Mk4 had a different item. How do I know? Ordered a replacement 'screen for my Mk4 Spitfire through Anglo Parts, which mostly sells Moss stuff. They sent me a TR4 screen and there was no way to fit it
Im glad you showed the Reliant Scimitar SS1.I didnt think it was too bad back in the day,but it did not sell well,and certainly it would have struggled with the Mazda MX5 about to be unleashed!
The SS1's look hasn't aged very well, but it must have looked much more convincing in period, as you say. Have you ever had the chance to drive one?
@@Matteo_Licata No the closest I got was a sit in one.But I did have a mk2 MX5 which I still regret selling!
His Triumph Stag design was a beautiful piece of work. Still is !
I agree!
Very interesting and informative
Thank you!!!
Thanks. Some of my favorites here. I thought the herald saloon worked better than the coupe shown here. But the TR4/5 and GT6 were big favorites of mine. Much nicer looking than the tubby MGB. Loved the Stag as well. Friend had one. Rusted to pieces, sadly.
I do like the MGB, with a marked preference for the closed GT version, which has a really elegant vibe to it. But the Triumphs, thanks to Michelotti, were more flamboyant and sexy
@@Matteo_Licata I used to love playing with them in my motorbike days. Especially when the driver was trying to impress his girlfriend. Always made sure to wait until they were flat out, then change up as I went past....
Had a lift in one once, GT, really lovely lady driver. 'nuff said.
Our family-my Aunt had the very first Triumph Spitfire in Scotland.She still has the original rego plate -372SC...on a Mazda roadster.
That's cool! I imagine the Triumph no longer exists anymore...
I can't wait for new video to be available, thanks for great work. I would like to ask you if you could share list of car's that you owned. It would be great to see what car's, person like you find attractive. Thanks, best regards from Serbia 🇷🇸👍
Thank you very much! I’m glad you enjoy so much my content. Well, the list of cars I’ve owned isn’t terribly exciting, as I’ve never had the means to purchase many cool cars. However, here you are, in chronological order of ownership:
2003 Mini Cooper (bought new)
1979 Citroën GS (failed resto project)
1976 Triumph Spitfire 1500
1997 Mazda MX5 NA
2003 Mazda MX5 NB
2009 Mazda MX5 NC
2017 Mazda MX5 ND (bought new)
@@Matteo_Licata Thanks for feedback. As I can see you are truly MX5 enthusiast. If you could choose one affordable classic car from 70'-80' but capable to be every day car, what would it be. Thanks once again and keep up good work. 👌😉👍
@@shone8866 Before answering, we need to define what "affordable" means, as that could mean different things to different people. However, I'd personally go for an Alfa Romeo 164 V6: eminently usable, well made, great style and engine, not expensive to buy. Parts could be an issue though, especially body and trim. A 75 2.0 TS would be a great buy too!
@@Matteo_Licata thanks for reply. 👍
I knew he draw the BMW 700 (the coupé version is exquisite) but not the 1500 and the British cars. Amazed!
There's no evidence to support the video's claim that Michelotti had any involvement in the design/styling of the Neue Klasse 1500. He apparently did make a proposal for a two-door coupe version, which is shown in the video, but that was never built.
Well, drawings do exist in Michelotti's archive, regarding the 1500, 2002 and 2002 Touring too, plus other models as well. The drawings look very close indeed to the production cars. To be honest, I don't know why BMW is so coy about its Italian heritage... What's the point of denying it?
@@Matteo_Licata I would be interested to see those. I'm only going on what has been readily available. It's well known that he did provide the initial design for the 700, but I believe that was actually for the company Denzel, that took the lead in developing that car.
If Michelotti did the drawings that directly led to the 1500, he certainly deserves the appropriate credit.
@@curbsideclassic At the exhibition currently held in Turin's national automobile museum, I've seen many BMW sketches directly from the old firm's archive. Not all shows in video, but I'll go back taking pictures. Furthermore, it's important to know that what's on display there is just the peak of the iceberg: the archive is believed to contain thousands of drawings.
One of his best designs was the Triumph Fury. I filmed and photographed this prototype car at the recent NEC Motorshow.
That was a cool design indeed. One of too many missed opportunities for Triumph!
Also the Leyland National bus, which was under the same company as Triumph.
😍😍🤩🤩 ..The Other Car Makers ..They Need a Italian Designer ..If Not its Just Another Boring Car To Look at Everyday ...R.I.P to Giovanni Michelotti ....
Of course I've heard about him- I have seen his beatiful sporty, british sedan today- Triumph Dolomite
Michelotti is much better known in the UK thanks to the Triumph connection, yes! But here in Italy only very knowledgeable enthusiasts know about him.
@@Matteo_Licata there are some car freaks like myself in Poland as well. My love to those italian shapes has no boundaries :) personally I have to admit that Your other movie has convince me to own other sport sedan straigh from Italy- Maserati 4.24v. I'm grateful for Your channel. Salute!
@@michaflak5174 You bought a Biturbo? That's cool! These cars are finally coming of age: most have been junked by now, leaving only the best ones around. Prices have been rising lately, not to huge levels but well out of banger territory, at last!
@@Matteo_Licata it's a blast to drive it, that's for sure :)
I read about Michelotti eons ago. His design/influence for BMW is long lasting.
Indeed. Yet BMW doesn’t seem too keen to aknowledge that
@@Matteo_Licata I know. Some BMW corporate rule I suppose.
For me, the alpine a110, it's one of the most beautiful rally cars ever
I had heard of Giovanni Michelotti name many times regarding car design.
Well, Michelotti is probably one of the best known Italian designers in the UK. You missed off the Triumph 1500 and Dolomite - beautifully balanced designs. He also did the Daf 66 btw.
So many talented personalities, like designers, actors or musicians died early, back in the day, due to smoking (or rather... oversmoking)!
Yes, it's unbelievable how much people smoked back in the old days! That's an area in which we've definitely made progress :)
Indeed a greath designer
Michelotti always fascinated me because while other Italian designers mostly worked with Italian carmakers, with a few exceptions, Michelotti made other European carmakers famous at his expense :( Rumors are that Redele from Alipnes Renault never paid him for his penning the Alpine A310.
Yeah, I heard and read the same thing about Redelè, but it was about the Alpine A110, not the 310.
@@Matteo_Licata You're right, it was the A110, not 310. Both of which I wouldn't mind owning :)
Di che auto si tratta a 1:55 una Cisitalia? Cercando il primo prototipo con cui ho scoperto il nome Michelotti (la Pura dell'88), adesso ho scoperto anche la Ferrari Meera. Tanta roba in catalogo! p.s. tante di Stag in Australia!
Si, si tratta di una Cisitalia su telaio Ford :)
Non sapevo che la Spitfire fosse opera di Michelotti. Ora capisco perchè quella linea aveva qualcosa di così speciale...
Che bella che era... Si può dire che la comprai solo per quello :)
His Triumph Conrero is one of the best designs ever imho...
The designer of the daf 44 55 66 models.... Just look at the back of those dafs and compare it to the alfa giulia from the sixties... there is a michelotti exhibition in the daf museum in Eindhoven netherlands at the moment...
I'd really like to visit it!
I really like the odd PAC and the CVT58, some of his latter designs, most likely.
Those were designs made by his firm after the man's passing. The PAC is quite interesting, yes, and there's video footage of it too: ruclips.net/video/tz4qZLkO_aE/видео.html
@@Matteo_Licata Had no idea thanks for updating me on that... Cool!
We need many designers like him to design for many automakers , every year new ugly or copy design cars coming out
Smartest thing Triumph Standard ever did.
You should have included the Triumph 2000 MK1 and MK2, a car that helped Triumph establish a modern image to the customers at this difficult period of time for the company. The car had such a timeless design that remained for 14 years in production with only a slight facelift. It even stole customers from the more upper class and expensive Jaguar 2.4 then.
Yes, this video is far from a comprehensive catalogue of Michelotti’s ouvre. The man personally owned a 2000 and later a 2500, by the way
@@Matteo_Licata yes i know, i had seen in the past a black a white photo of his 2000.
Always heard he had had a hand in the design of the Jaguar E type. I also had a Spitfire, and it was slow until my father who was a genius with engines got a hold of it, then it really was a proper car!
I’ve never seen or heard anything about Michelotti and the E-Type… But I’m curious to know what your father did to the Spitfire’s engine :)
I'd heard of him alright, my dad had two Mk2 Triumph 2000s from new back in the 70s.
I always assumed he was one of the better-known designers, at least here in the UK.
Thanks to his involvement with Triumph, Michelotti is much better known in the UK than he's ever been here in his homeland. I remember that, when I owned the green Spitfire, people hardly knew what it was, let alone who styled it!
I think one of the advantages Michelotti had was that he worked alone , quickly and cheaply and was thus able to preserve his imagination and flair for the work..Alot of tallented designers who work for the major manufacturers studios have their enthusiasm and creativity crushed by dictatorial ,unreasonable, oppresive studio heads and company managers. Triumph did have a styling dept capable of producing some quality work but the then management favoured the work bought in from independants like Michelotti as a means to opress in house stylists who were reduced to drawing door handles and other mundane items. The Triumph stylists were further humiliated later when British Leyland used the work of an Austin stylist(Harris Mann ) to come up with the TR7 design.
I can fully relate, as I have been a car designer and know very well how frustrating it is to seemingly have every corporate function telling you what to do, plus the unreasonable studio bosses... Been there, done that!
Michelotti worked alone for years, but it must be said that, by the 1960s, he did have a small pool of collaborators under him.
@@Matteo_Licata I was one too .
Thank you ! For sharing this knowledge …
My pleasure! This is what Roadster Life is all about :)
The BMW 1500-2 model is very interesting as it reveals that the so called "Hoffmeister Knick" the kink at the bottom of the C-pillar is actually a Michelotti idea ,often falsely attributed to Wilhelm Hofmeister head of BMW design at the time, furthermore that the iconic Michelotti style wrap around engine hood and boot lid so typical to the 1500 and other BMW models were not part of the design from the start!
My favourite design of his was the 1970s Triumph Toledo / Dolomite. Or was that just the 1300/1500 Giovanni designed in the 1960s? 🤔
I don’t know if Michelotti did also the Dolomite. Sure he did the earlier fwd models
@@Matteo_Licata Yes he also did the Dolomite. Just look at the similarities between the Dolomite and the DAF 66. Or the Dolomite and the later 2000.
Sad Michelotti was unable to finish the Reliant Scimitar SS1, have heard claims the SS1 proposal was either merely a recycling of a rejected Spitfire replacement proposal from a few years previously (in Double-edged sword: The Reliant Scimitar SS1 by Dan Lockton) or (more likely IMHO) a recycling of his Michelotti proposal for the Triumph Broadside project (see The Car Factoids twitter on Triumph Broadside for the SS1-like Michelotti Broadside design).
Did wonder if Michelotti ever did any designs to help improve the looks of the Austin Allegro, Maxi and Princess.
Both scenarios are very much believable, the Broadside one especially so. I could try to ask Edgardo Michelotti, son of Giovanni and current custodian of the Michelotti archive, for his version of the story. He may never reply, but I can give it a shot :)
@@Matteo_Licata By all means you are welcome to give it a shot, would be worthwhile having Edgardo clear up the matter on the Reliant Scimitar SS1's origins.
What makes things a bit less then straightforward would be how Broadside (also known as SC1 or Sports Car 1), was said to have been planned to come in two sizes to replace the TR7/MGB as well as the Spitfire/Midget (others phrase it as Broadside initially deigned to replace the Triumph TR7, but also to form the basis for the MGB and Midget replacements with a 1.7 O-Series version being mooted for production at one point).
Why is it that only Italians are able to design the most beautiful cars. Off course, other countries made a few, but do not remotely compare to the amount produced in Italy.
Well, I don’t know.
However, I don’t think it’s a matter of being actually Italian, as there have been quite a few foreigners working in Italy for Italian companies, especially over the last 30 years.
Only need to look at their history including artist, sculptors, etc. They also designed, built most of the buildings of Moscow, St. Petersburg, not to mention most of western civilization is based on their art, laws, religion, etc etc. Look at the Capitol office building in Washington DC, and St. Peters Basilica.
Well it more or less happened by default but at last you mention DAF! 🙂
Sooner or later, DAF was inevitably going to appear on the channel... I'd really like to film one, by the way.
Autobianchi!
Not knowing Giovanni Michelotti is like not knowing Ercole Spada
Well, many don’t :)
Only knowledgeable enthusiasts tend to know these names, and that’s why I titled the video this way.
@@Matteo_Licata greatly appreciated! Maybe Spada might be a nice followup to Michelotti as many would maybe amazed by some well known designs he did. Love all these designers, but my favorite is still Giugiaro as I think he is one of the most versatile ones really. Really had an influence on how the streets looked in the late 70s and 80s. Big volume cars that looked good and a couple of my favorite Alfa Romeos. After him I would have to make a choice between Gandini and Spada, difficult, they’re all great designers. I think Giugiaro, Gandini, and another important one who’s name I forgot, are all born in 1938. A good year :) a pity there always was such rivalry between G and G
@@delahayenator I'm a massive Giugiaro fan myself, so I can fully relate! By the way, I've decided to make a series of these "designers" videos, so I'm definitely going to tackle Spada sooner or later.
@@Matteo_Licata thats great!
BMW 1500 inspired ==> Chevy 1960-1964 Corvair (and I think first battery electric prototype)
Yes, the Chevy Corvair had a massive influence on European car design, with many manufacturers implementing its stylistic features: NSU Prinz 4, Fiat 1500… And yes, the BMW’s side section
For my self i think the greatests cars designers are MERCELLO GANDINI and LEONARDO FIORAVANTI.
You can make a solid argument for both, I agree.
Didn't know about his connection to Triumph. I once dated a girl who had a Spitfire...
Sigh.......
A body of work that is amazing. But, 60 cigarettes a day?
Yep. That’s what his son said in recent interviews
@@Matteo_Licata wow, his lungs must've been like leather.
Never heard of? On what planet?
You don’t need to go out of Earth’s atmosphere to find people who have no idea who Michelotti was. In Italy, where I’m from, his work is largely unknown even among car enthusiasts. But I know that in the UK he’s much better remembered, due to the Triumph connection.