In my line of work, I've had the privilege of interviewing auto industry titans, driving with motorsport legends, and discussing cars and car culture with rock stars and Hollywood actors. Among them, Stirling Moss and Dustin Hoffman stand out in my memory. On the other hand, I'd rather forget my encounters with Carlos Ghosn and Michael Caine. But if I had to pick the most intriguing, talented, and hardworking car guy I've ever met, I'd nominate Giorgetto Giugiaro, who celebrated his 88th birthday on August 7.
It was on August 15, 1976, that Giugiaro completed and submitted the design and technical drawings for a then-unknown, tiny car called the Fiat Panda. Almost eight million motorists have since bought one. For the past decade, it's been the best-selling city car in Europe. The Panda remains in production, with the UK recently selling only the award-winning hybrid and electric versions of the Grande Panda, 50 years after it was conceived by Giugiaro.
View Price on AmazonI had the honor of inducting Giugiaro into The Motoring Hall of Fame. The last time we met, we discussed gelato, the Volkswagen Golf, and guns, among other things. Giugiaro has designed cars for almost every Italian manufacturer, including Ferrari and Lamborghini. He's also worked with most German makers, as well as leading vehicle producers in America, the Czech Republic, France, Japan, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, and the UK.
Giugiaro has designed an astonishing number of vehicles, with around 150 identified before I lost count. He's undoubtedly the world's greatest current car designer. The Panda is arguably one of his finest, most accessible, and compelling works. It's probably the closest thing we've had to a car for the people since the original Beetle.
The Fiat Panda/Grande Panda has enjoyed an impressively lengthy, uninterrupted run, stretching from 1976 to 2026. With its numerous past and present guises, it's THE car of the past half century.
Source: autoexpress.co.uk
