| COVER STORY
Fabrizio Giugiaro THE KING OF MOTOR DESIGN
F
abrizio Giugiaro is the Chairman of Giugiaro Architettura, an independent structure dedicated to architectural projects and urban design for clients all over the world and Board member of Italdesign Giugiaro – now part of the Volkswagen Group – after his studies in architecture in 1990, Fabrizio joined the family business, where he held various positions until becoming director of the Styling Centre for all three sectors: automotive, industrial design and architecture.
three models in particular: the Aston Martin Twenty-Twenty, the Bugatti Chiron and the BMW Nazca.
Born in 1965, Fabrizio is a motor sports enthusiast. He has a Formula 1 license, he is a qualified pilot of helicopters and light aircraft and loves to drive rally cars and powerboats. He is married to Jessica, a surgeon, and has three daughters: Paolina, Flora Maria and Adele.On a sunny afternoon in Milan we meet Fabrizio Giugiaro at the newly-renovated Central Railway Station.
Among the production cars you mentioned, which is the one to which you feel more closely related?
How would you define your relationship with luxury? First of all, I would like to start from my experiences. Under my direction of the Styling Centre at Italdesign-Giugiaro, we produced cars that were – and still are – a perfect expression of luxury, a concept that, in its modern sense, goes far beyond the mere pursuit of pleasure and hedonism: it encompasses, in fact, a strong emotional significance and it is the synthesis of qualitative excellence and aesthetic sophistication. I am referring in particular to the Lamborghini Gallardo, to the Maserati 3200 GT and Spider, to brands such as Bentley and Bugatti, which are essential to determine the very definition of luxury cars. Moving on from production cars to prototypes, above all, I am proud to name
Picture courtesy of Helmut Newton
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If we go even further, touching on industrial & transport design, I think of the high-range Nikon cameras, the interior design of megayachts, the projects for competition racing boats with the four-time world champion Aaron Ciantar, the Same tractors – winners of numerous awards on the international design scene, the Okamura chairs.
I would say two. The Gallardo, the extreme, super sports car by Lamborghini. Based on the 1995 Calà prototype. Compact to be a supercar; extreme not only in performance but also in the lines of its bodywork: taut and squared. A car that, in a very short time, has become a veritable icon and, most importantly, the best-selling Lamborghini of all time. The other one is the Maserati 3200 GT Gran Turismo 2+2 coupé. At the time (1998) Maserati was looking for a new model for the latest re-launch of the brand. Together with my team, I decided to take Maserati’s most iconic vehicle as a starting point: a Gran Turismo 2+2 coupé with front-engine. The inspiration for the new 3200 GT is to be found in Maserati’s models from the late 60’s, particularly in the 1966 Maserati Ghibli, designed by my father Giorgetto. The aim was to develop the brand’s image, by emphasising the muscularity of the whole but also by lending the new Maserati not only the characteristics of a real GT 2+2, but also the appearance of a twobox-and-a-half design.
And among prototypes? Well, the 18-cylinder Bugatti Chiron, commissioned by Ferdinand Piech in person, featuring an innovative stellar 18-cylinder engine, from which the standard Veyron came from, the most exclusive vehicle in the world in terms of horsepower and speed. I would also like to mention the W12 Record, the Volkswagen beating all speed records worldwide for all speed classes over 24 hours, covering a distance of 7,740.576 km at the average speed of 322.891 km/h. Record won on February 23 2002 on the Nardò high-speed circuit and still unbeaten. I know these figures by heart.
We understand that it is a substantial, clear and dominant heritage. But does a comparable relation also exists with regard to Giugiaro Architettura? I believe it is an even stronger one. Giugiaro Architettura’s portfolio includes numerous projects worldwide for high-end villas, private residences and luxury hotel facilities. We have a strong bond with countries that, more than others, believe in the value of an architecture which is able to innovate and create with style while respecting the specific cultural context. Notably, the whole Middle-East, from Dubai (where one of our operations is located) to Doha. To complete the range on offer, we have recently taken over and re-launched an industry with a high technological content, active for years on the international market and specialised in the design and construction of glass, steel and aluminium structures, with a global client portfolio which includes the great names of contemporary architecture. For this purpose a new company was created, named Giugiaro Architettura & Structures – Enviai. 19