Giuseppe Busso
Alfa's Great Engineer Passes

By Marcello Minerbi

In the evening of January 3rd, 2006, Giuseppe Busso, one of the greatest Italian car designers, passed away at the age of 92.

In 1972, Busso, on left, poses for a photo with Guido Moroni.

I first met Busso in the home of the great Italian photographer, the late Corrado Millanta. Busso and Millanta were close, tied by reciprocal friendship and esteem. Millanta helped me understand the depth and the intellectual greatness of Busso, who was reserved, shaggy at first sight, self confident, but a master of understatement.

Busso wrote a book on his human and technical experience which, in my opinion is extraordinary, further demonstration of his culture and exquisite delicacy. The title was "Nel Cuore dell'Alfa", ("In the Heart of Alfa"). I was very lucky, because while interviewing Busso for my own book "Alfa Romeo SZ and TZ" (Click here for book review) Busso was writing "Nel Cuore dell’ Alfa". He would then read to me his manuscript, written in a tidy, good hand. I remember telling him: "Please, don't touch a word, leave it as remembrances flowing from your memory". Busso was also kind enough to write the forward for "Alfa Romeo SZ and TZ."

Born in Torino in 1914, he earned the Italian diploma of "Perito Industriale". In 1937 he found work at the Fiat Aeronautical Engines Department, and later, in the Experimental Railway Office. In 1939 he left Turin, to join Alfa Romeo in Milan.

During the Second World War, while working in the Alfa's Special Studies Department, Busso begun an extraordinary relationship of friendship and inventiveness with Orazio Satta Puliga. In early 1943, Allied bombings of both Turin and Milan forced the Special Studies Department to move to the Lago d'Orta, north of Milan and out of harm's way. Here, the relationship with Satta Puliga flourished, and Busso completed his studies.

After the war, Busso was invited by Gioacchino Colombo (ex Alfa himself), to join Ferrari as chief of the Technical Office. At Ferrari, Busso helped to develop the 125 S (the first real "Ferrari") and worked on the single seater 2 liter DOHC supercharged V12, with De Dion rear suspension, and on a 6 cylinder derived from the 12. In the same period (against the opinions of Ferrari himself) he studied and explored front wheel drive and worked on the Ferrari 159 SBC (Spider Biposto Corsa), which won the Turin Grand Prix in 1947 driven by Raymond Sommer.

At Alfa, from left to right: Livio Nicolis, Orazio Satta Puliga and Busso.

Called back to Alfa Romeo by Satta, Busso returned to Milan in 1948. Together with Satta, Busso planned and created the entire line of Alfa's post war cars.

At Alfa he designed cars that entered in the hall of fame of motoring including the 159, which won an F1 World Championship with Fangio in 1951; the Disco Volante Sport; the first Tipo 33 with magnesium/alloy frame; the SZ (short and long tail); the TZ1 and TZ2; and, in all variations, the 1900, the Giulietta, the Giulia, the Alfetta (which was defined by Porsche's engineers a fantastic car), the Matta 4x4, military car (with a rear suspension that later inspired the Mercedes Benz) and the Alfa 6, with the legendary V6.

He remained at Alfa Romeo until 1977, when he retired after serving as Condirettore Centrale.

He was a great man, with perhaps a rough side to his character, but his secret in life was that he was nice. As always happens, now that he's passed away, we will miss him.