Sergio Sartorelli

{{Short description|Italian automotive designer and engineer}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Sergio Sartorelli

| image =

| alt =

| caption =

| birth_date = {{birth date|1928|05|07}}

| birth_place = Alessandria, Italy

| death_date = {{Death date and age|2009|11|28|1928|05|07}}

| death_place = Turin, Italy

| nationality = Italian

| other_names =

| known_for = Design at Carrozzeria Ghia, OSI, and Fiat

| occupation = Automotive designer

}}

Sergio Sartorelli (7 May 1928 in Alessandria – 28 November 2009 in Torino) was a noted Italian automotive designer and engineer.

During his career at Carrozzeria Ghia, OSI, and finally Fiat, Sartorelli became widely known for his work on the Fiat 2300 S Coupé, Karmann Ghia Type 34,{{cite news|url=http://www.mediaindonesia.com/mediaoto/index.php/read/2009/06/06/330/6/Mobil_Legenda_Bernama_VW_Karmann_Ghia|title=Mobil Legenda Bernama VW Karmann Ghia|date=29 June 2009 |work=Otomotif|language=Indonesian|accessdate=31 December 2009}} [https://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=id&u=http://www.mediaindonesia.com/mediaoto/index.php/read/2009/06/29/330/6/Mobil-Legenda-Bernama-VW-Karmann-Ghia&ei=4eg_S_7TOI6VtgfO4PWFCQ&sa=X&oi=translate&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CA8Q7gEwAA&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dmediaindonesia%2Bkarmann%2Bghia%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Doff%26num%3D50 English translation]{{citation |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PneRD7LdCLUC&pg=PA63 |title=Volkswagen Cars and Trucks |author=Keith Seume|isbn=9781610592468 }} and the Fiat 126.

He was the honorary president of the Italian Volkswagen Karmann Ghia Club.

Background

As a young teen, Sartorelli had a passion for cars, trucks, trains, and even military vehicles. To mentally escape the depth of World War II, he spent his time filling school notebooks with sketches and building scale wooden models of cars.

After the war he earned a degree in mechanical engineering at the Polytechnic University of Turin in 1954, followed by 18 months of Military Service in as a cartographer. During his military service, he continued to sketch for Carrozzeria Boano.

After his military service, he was turned down by Boano and Pininfarina, but in 1956 was hired by Ing. Giovanni Savonuzzi at Ghia.{{cite web|title=My experience in the car design with GHIA - OSI – FIAT|url=http://www.karmannghia.it/Sartorelli.htm|website=karmannghia.it|accessdate=11 September 2014}}

Career

Sergio Sartorelli's career at Ghia rose quickly when in 1957, engineer Savonuzzi left Ghia for Chrysler, Sartorelli became Head of the Style Prototypes. After the sudden death of Luigi Segre, owner and chief stylist of Carrozzeria Ghia, Sartorelli left Ghia.

Officine Stampaggi Industriali (OSI) was set up as a parallel and complementary company to Ghia and it was part owned by Luigi Segre. With the death of Segre the partnership disappeared and OSI was left with no styling department. After two years of a freelance relationship with Michelotti, OSI set up its own styling department called Centro Stile e Esperienze OSI, and appointed Sergio Sartorelli as its director. This arrangement lasted from 1965 until December 1967 when OSI reorganized.

In 1968 what was left of Centro Stile e Esperienze OSI, became the Future Studies department at Centro Stile Fiat with Sergio Sartorelli as its head, it was entrusted with the study of design, automotive development, and modeling of prototypes for Fiat.

By 1984 with the car market in crisis, Fiat let Sergio Sartorelli go, and he retired from his design career.

Design work

Sergio Sartorelli's design work included:

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! style="background:#d0e5f5" | Year !! style="background:#d0e5f5" | Model !! style="background:#d0e5f5" | Firm !! style="background:#d0e5f5" | Notes

1957Volkswagen 1200 BeetleGhiaprototype for Beetle replacement
1957Fiat 1100/103 TV Coupe, CabrioletGhia1957 Turin Motor Show
1957Fiat 500 JollyGhia
1957Fiat 600 JollyGhia
1957Dual-Ghia 375 CoupéGhia
1957Ghia Crown Imperial limousineGhia1957-1963 collaboration with Chrysler Corp. design team{{cite web|title=The Story of Ghia & Chrysler|url=http://www.imperialclub.com/Articles/GhiaStory/Page05.htm|website=imperialclub.com|publisher=imperial club|accessdate=11 September 2014}}
1958Fiat 1100/103 GiardinettaGhia
1959Karmann-Ghia Coupe Type 14Ghiastyling update{{cite web|title=History of the Type 34 The Type 34 Karmann Ghia Story|url=http://www.type34.com/library/15-history/32-history-of-the-type-34|website=type34.com|publisher=The Type 34 Registry|accessdate=14 September 2014}}
1959Ghia Selene IGhiadesigned with Tom Tjaarda{{cite web|title=Cars by Tom Tjaarda Catalogue raisonné, Opera omnia|url=http://www.tom-tjaarda.net/cars.htm|website=tom-tjaarda.net|accessdate=14 September 2014}}
1960Fiat 2300 S CoupéGhiaproduction model debut at 1961 Geneva Motor Show{{cite web|title=Fiat 2300 S Coupe Series 2|url=http://www.manro-classic.at/cms/node/857|website=manro-classic.at|publisher=Manro - Classic Auto & Musik Museum|accessdate=11 September 2014}}
1960Karmann-Ghia Coupe 1500 Type 34Ghia1961 debut, Frankfurt motor show{{cite web|last1=McCausland|first1=Evan|title=VW's Forgotten Karmann Ghia Type 34 Turns 50|url=https://www.automobilemag.com/features/news/throwback-thursday-vws-forgotten-karmann-ghia-type-34-turns-50-20945/|website=automobilemag.com|publisher=Automobile Magazine|accessdate=11 September 2014}}
1961Maserati 5000 GTGhiaone-off for Ferdinando Innocenti
1962Alfa Romeo 2600 SpiderGhiaone-off prototype
1962Ghia 1500 GTGhia
1963Ghia-Fiat G230SGhiaprototype introduced at Turin Motor Show{{cite web|last1=Schroeder|first1=Michael|title=Ghia 230 S Prototype drive Prototype with birdcage genes|url=http://www.motor-klassik.de/fahrberichte/ghia-230-s-prototipo-fahrbericht-prototyp-mit-birdcage-genen-2777474.html|website=motor-klassik.de|publisher=Ströer Digital Media GmbH|accessdate=11 September 2014}}
1965OSI-Ford 20 M TS Coupé and SpiderOSIProduced from 1966 to 1968, only one Spider was made.{{cite web|url=http://www.osi20mts.com/contents/en-uk/d2.html|title=History|website=osi20mts.com|accessdate=10 October 2014}}
1966Alfa Romeo ScarabeoOSI2 bodies
1966Innocenti C coupéOSI
1967Fiat 125 Station WagonOSI
1972Fiat 126Fiatreplacement for Fiat 500 introduced at Turin Motor Show
1978Fiat RitmoFiatintroduced at 1978 Turin Motor Show to replace Fiat 128

Fiat 2300-S-Coupé.JPG|Fiat 2300 S Coupe

1966 Type 34 Karmann Ghia rear.jpg|1966 Type 34 Karmann Ghia

Ghia-Fiat G230S.JPG|Ghia-Fiat G230S

Fiat 500 Ghia Jolly.jpg|Fiat 500 Ghia Jolly

MHV Ford-OSI 01.jpg|OSI-Ford 20 M TS

White left hand drive Fiat 126 produced in 1973 6.jpg|Fiat 126

Fiat Ritmo 75CL (8998214735).jpg|Fiat Ritmo

References

{{Reflist}}