Unique Giugiaro masterpiece to be sold at Chantilly, France
The Maserati Boomerang concept made its debut at the 1971 Turin motor show as a static design study. However, at the 1972 Geneva motor show it was presented as a fully operational road vehicle. (Photo credit: Bonhams)
Story by Gijsbert-Paul Berk
In the same week that 78 year-old Giorgetto Giugiaro sold the remaining 9.9% of his shares in the Italdesign Giugiaro SpA to the Volkswagen-Audi group, the international auction house Bonhams announced that they will auction off one of Giugiaro’s icons, the unique Maserati Boomerang concept car. This auction will be held on September 5 during the Concours d’Elegance at the Château de Chantilly, near Paris, France. The Boomerang has participated at many world-class Show events such as the Bagatelle in Paris, Villa d’Este, the Concours Italiano, and Pebble Beach. In 2005 it was sold at an auction by Christie’s for €781,250 (US$1,007,005).
Mechanically the ultra-low Boomerang shares many components with the Maserati Bora production model. It is powered by a mid-mounted 4.7-liter V8 engine developing 310 bhp (230 kW), driving the rear wheels via a 5-speed gearbox. (Photo credit: Bonhams)
One of the characteristics of the Boomerang design was its extreme wedge-shape and raked windscreen. The passengers sat in a real glasshouse with a large glass sunroof ….
….and doors that were mostly made of glass. (Photo credit: Bonhams)
Giugiaro designed for his Boomerang this original cockpit layout. A circular dashboard with all the gauges and switches as the hub of the steering wheel. (Photo credit: Bonhams)
The influence of the Boomerang’s is evident in many of Giugiaro’s later designs,such as the Lotus Esprit, and the BMW M1. (Photo credit: Bonhams)
Giorgetto Giugiaro started his carrier in 1955 at Fiat and in 1959 was engaged by coachbuilder Bertone to become the head of their Styling Centre. Six years later he moved to Ghia but in 1967 started his own independent Ital Styling studio, that later became Italdesign Giugiaro SpA.
Giorgetto Giugiaro’s quote on automotive design: “It is first and foremost functionality, without a doubt, that validates the project. Everything, unless strictly a work of art, has a functional value. (Photo credit: Italdesign) )
In 1999 Giugiaro was elected as Car Designer of the Century by the Global Automotive Elections Foundation in Las Vegas and in in 2002 inducted into the Automotive Hall of Fame.
The master retires. On July 2 Giorgetto Giugiaro sold the last 9.9% of his shares in the Italdesign Giugiaro SpA, to the Volkswagen-Audi group. (Photo credit: Italdesign)
Italdesign Giugiaro not only designed cars but also motorcycles, cameras, wristwatches and even firearms. But an impressive number of family cars from almost every mayor manufacturer owe their shape to Giugiaro’s creativity and practical insight. He also created some tantalizing sports cars and breathtaking concept vehicles. The Maserati Boomerang is certainly one of his outstanding masterpieces.
Wow, the end of an era. Was there anyone better? Can anyone match his output? His sense of volume and proportion was outstanding. Certainly the recent VW-Audi products must show his hand/eye. BTW, wasn’t his company correctly spelled Italdesign?
I am an Ital Design customer with my Maserati Bora.
Giorgetto Giugiaro’s legacy will live in his cars.He is one of the reasons I’m a car buff.
Oooops! Marcello Gandini will be upset that you credit his Countach to Giugiaro. He’s already a bit miffed that some people give Giugiaro credit his Miura.
We stand corrected…
I can confirm ’cause I saw the first drawing of the Countach in Sant’Agata. The design is a capolavoro of Marcello Gandini not Giugiaro. All the best
I do hope Giugiaro designed my ’75 Alfetta sedan and my ’79 Alfa Sport sedan because I tell that to the many people who ask me about their stunning designs.
Do you know which work he’s most proud of? Fiat’s 132 (or is it 135, or the Ritmo, or something like that?), because of the space challenge inside.
Thank you for your comment. You are absolutely right. In 1967 Giorgetto Giugiaro started as an independent designer and consultant. He then worked under the name Ital Styling studio. He also entered into a partnership with Aldo Mantovani to form the Studi Italiani Realizzazione Prototipi *S.p.A. On 13 February 1968 their company officially changed its name to Italdesign SpA. Later this became Italdesign Giugiaro SpA. On 9 August 2010, Lamborghini Holding S.p.A (a subsidiary of Audi AG) acquired 90.1% of the shares of Italdesign Giugiaro S.p.A. including the brand name and patents rights.
On 28 June 2015 Giorgetto sold the remaining to Audi. The same day he resigning from the firm that bears his name. Volkswagen and Italdesign Giugiaro have a long history of working together. Former Volkswagen AG Chairman Ferdinand Piëch apprenticed at Italdesign during the summer of 1972, learning about engineering and design. And Italdesign was responsible for the design of several notable Volkswagen cars. Among several others the first Volkswagen hatchback, the 1974 Golf
*Note: SpA stands for ‘Società per Azioni’ and is the legal Italian name for a limited liability company.
Best regards, Gijsbert-Paul Berk
Thank you for your reaction. Sorry, we do not know which of the designs you mention he prefers. And I am pretty sure that when you would ask him, you would not get an answer. We don’t think that a very productive and versatile designer such as Giugiaro will ever divulge his favorites. All his “children’ must be even dear to him. If only to protect the commercial interests of his clients.
Best regards, Gijsbert-Paul Berk
As a long term Maserati Bora owner, I have never ceased in amazement of his genius. His designs are timeless and will live forever.
As a long term Maserati Bora owner, l have never ceased to be amazed with his genius.His designs will live forever.
I was in Turin in 1971 when the Boomerang and Alfasud were introduced. Included in the display was a wonderful sketch of the Alfasud, one of the most beautiful pieces of automotive design art work that I have ever seen. What is taken for granted in the Boomerang is the wonderful execution of a very difficult and complex theme, especially the area at the base of the windshield including the rear view mirror and the front wheel opening.
Giugiaro is not only a master of automotive theme creation both interior and exterior as seen here in the Boomerang but also an incredible handler of proportion, form language and graphics. He has always been very daring often in very subtle ways as seen in the Kangaroo and its literal opposite the Mangusta done two years later.
Thank you Giorgetto Giugiaro for designing my Mangusta which looks better now than when you first created it.
Dick Ruzzin
On the Miura dispute. Just look at the car and see the front theme that Giugiaro evolved on several other cars. The body side section is seen on some later Bizzarinis is beautifully executed. And of course the tailamps and surrounding surfaces that appeared on several Giugiaro cars, some very good ones.
Nuccio Bertone told me that when Giugiaro left he had a lot of work and put Gandini in charge of the project even though he was very new. He probably worked for Giugiaro on it before he left. He did not respond to Bertones suggestions, he probably did not know him well enough, certainly not as well as Giugiaro. After he was gone and the car was in the shop for finishing Gandini went on vacation and Nuccio said that he “changed it”. He did not say what he changed, only that he “changed it”.
Of course there is a Gandini sketch, they are usually done after the car is finished, this one reflects the changes that Bertone made. The fact that Giugiaro had an influence is self evident, whether it was by evolving the Bertone design culture which continued after he left. Bertone also had an influence by his own admission, he made very astute design analysis. Luciano Ambrosio told me that the Miura was Bertones favorite car.
Gandini has to be credited with the car as he did most of the work, Giugiaro and Bertone also were involved. He should tell the story and not remain silent as he has all these years, it reflects badly on him creating suspension about the value of his participation. I think the laudatory press has something to do with this placing him in a defensive position.
DICK RUZZIN