From Alfa Romeo to Porsche: 7 Iconic Automobiles That Formed the World’s Finest Auto Designers
Illustration by Kasiq
Ask any elite athlete or entertainer about how they were inspired early on, and you’ll likely hear another household name that impacted their trajectory to stardom. LeBron had Jordan, Bono had Bowie, and Streep cites De Niro. The same holds true in automotive design. Here, we’ve asked the individuals responsible (in full or in part) for poster-worthy cars from the Ferrari Testarossa to the McLaren F1 to the Bugatti Mistral: Which models served as your artistic muses? While you’ll recognize a number of iconic names on this list—the ’67 Alfa Romeo Tipo 33 Stradale was actually nominated twice—some unexpected choices will surely surprise.
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1932 Ford Model B
Image Credit: Illustration by Kasiq Designed By: Edsel Ford
Nominated By: Michelle Christensen, head of design for Karma Automotive, led the team responsible for the second-generation Acura NSX
The Reason: “My dad got a ’32 Ford hot rod when I was about 10, and that’s when I really started following him around the garage and learning. The simplicity of the ’32 is what I admire most about it. It’s amazing to see how people modify it over the generations to make it their own unique creation—it’s almost like a blank canvas for an artist, while also maintaining one of the most iconic automotive shapes of all time. I also had my first design experience with that car. A family friend and pinstriper let me ‘design’ the pinstripes.”
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1970 Ferrari 512S Modulo
Image Credit: Illustration by Kasiq Designed By: Paolo Martin
Nominated By: Ian Cameron, former director of design for Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, responsible for the Phantom Coupé, first-generation Ghost, and Dawn Drophead Coupé
The Reason: “The ’70 Modulo simply abandoned all possible automotive expectations whilst nonetheless still delivering a believable four-wheeled ‘vehicle’—even if undoubtedly more Pininfarina than Ferrari. The sheer credibility that this singular gesture lent the Italian carrozzeria in an era of outstanding concepts is incalculable, and it represented a high-water mark never superseded. It was one of those unexpected shots in the dark that, even if it never spawned an even vaguely similar series relative, was so understandably ‘right,’ both in name and form, that it has never left our minds.”
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1966 Lamborghini Miura
Image Credit: Illustration by Kasiq Designed By: Marcello Gandini
Nominated By: Ralph Gilles, chief design officer for Stellantis, influenced the Dodge Viper’s design since its second generation
The Reason: “Whenever I see this vehicle out on the road, I must stop and admire
its low-slung and provocative presence. Once one of the fastest cars made, it celebrates performance and styling. Its pop-up headlamps give it a slightly animated personality that’s unexpected from a serious performance vehicle. I love how its hood and shoulder line blends into the upper part of the door and ultimately frames the scoops that are adjacent to the side windows. The rear of the car has a decisive cutoff, which is a theme we continue to use today to manage aerodynamics and high-speed stability.” -
1993 Porsche Boxster Concept
Image Credit: Illustration by Kasiq Designed By: Grant Larson
Nominated By: Mitja Borkert, head of design, Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A., responsible for Lamborghini’s Terzo Millennio, Urus, and Revuelto
The Reason: “The Porsche Boxster Concept has fascinated me since I was young and while I was studying at university aiming to become a designer. This Porsche continues to inspire me not only for its style but also for its being a symbol of the motivation of the team that was behind it, and it has captured the spirit of James Dean and the beginning of Porsche from the RS60 Spyder 2. Indeed, this model deeply influenced my sketches from that period.”
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1974 VW Golf MK1
Image Credit: Illustration by Kasiq Designed By: Giorgetto Giugiaro
Nominated By: Ian Callum, former chief designer at TWR Design, former design director for Jaguar, and cofounder of Callum, responsible for the Aston Martin Vanquish and Jaguar F-Type
The Reason: “The Golf has a cleverness and purity to its design that is seldom surpassed. It was rather controversial at the time: It epitomized Giugiaro’s origami approach but achieved a subtlety that resonated with those who appreciated its innovation—those who got it, got it. It has fantastic proportions and is probably one of the finest examples in its class, ever. The dog-leg graphic on the C-pillar was a stroke of genius. Then, with larger wheels and a lowered and wider stance giving it more strength, the GTI model made an already exceptional car even better.”
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Red Bull X2010
Image Credit: Illustration by Kasiq Designed By: Adrian Newey
Nominated By: Frank Heyl, director of design, Bugatti Rimac, responsible for Bugatti’s Chiron, Divo, and Mistral as senior exterior designer under Achim Anscheidt
The Reason: “I’m really fascinated with Adrian Newey’s approach to the design of the Red Bull X2010, his amazing understanding of aerodynamics, chassis balance, and packaging of all the components in the most compact way possible, with no compromises. I had a 1:18 scale model of that car, and what’s really not published is the underfloor: It has this spindle shape with two funnels for the ground effects—a fan car. It influenced the way I look at a new hypercar or sports car. I want to see the underfloor before the exterior. I want to understand how it functions.”
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Alfa Romeo Tipo
Image Credit: Illustration by Kasiq Designed B: Franco Scaglione
Nominated By: Gordon Murray, former design director of McLaren Cars and founder of Gordon Murray Automotive, responsible for the McLaren F1 and GMA T.50
The Reason: “With its motorsport roots, the Alfa 33 Stradale is already honed for performance—emphasized by its evocative aerodynamic form and perfect visual balance. I love how its styling is so effortless yet communicates so much about the car’s capabilities. Whichever way you look at the 33 Stradale, it celebrates sleek, engineering-led design.”
Authors
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Viju Mathew
Source: Robb Report
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