Franco Scaglione was a italian car designer. He might not have reached the international fame of Bertone, Pinin Farina or Giugiaro. But his work inspired some of the major car designers in the world. His dedication to fluid body, aerodynamic shapes influenced both American designers and European ones. He had an eye for the sculpture language and beauty.
Franco Scaglione is an example of determination. At 1948 he went to Bologna, looking for a new job, in his mind was already the desire to become a car designer, his real passion.
Initially he was sketching clothing for several for various fashion stores, but it didn’t took so much until he realized that the major industry and automotive coach builders were based in Turin.
He first contacted Battista Farina (later Pininfarina) but he wasn’t hired by him. History says he did design a car for the world-famous coachbuilder but Pininfarina wouldn’t let him sign his creation.
Pininfarina’s rival, Nuccio Bertone, hired Franco Scaglione and from this collaboration many remarkable cars were build including the 1951 Lancia Aurelia B50, 1952 Abarth 1500 Bertone Berlinetta, and the unusual 1953 Ferrari-Abarth 166MM/53 Spyder.
Franco Scaglione, the 3 BAT’s designer
But with any doubt, the 3 Alfa Rome BAT made the difference for him. BAT who stands for Berlinetta Aerodinamica Tecnica, were and still are the three most beautiful examples of coachbuilding body. The three cars were build on Alfa Romeo chassis and the main scope for Scaglione was to get the lowest drag coefficient possible.
First BAT, number 5, was released on 1953 and year by year one of them was presented in the Turin Auto Show. The differences between 5, 7 & 9 BAT were mainly in the treatment of the rear side fins. One of them got a drag coefficient of 0.19… Impressive isn’t it?
In 1959 he decided to work on his own. His first collaboration was together with Carlo Abarth & Porsche for whom designed the porsche 356 B Abarth Carrera GTL bodied by Rocco Motto.
Lamborghini 350 GTV
Later on, Ferrucio Lamborghini, impressed by his job, commissioned him a concept car, the Lamborghini 350 GTV, but the car seems to be to complex for production.
Franco Scaglione designed many cars after it like the 1900 Skyline Sprint, the Titania Veltro GTT and various models for Intermeccanica. But maybe one of the most brilliants design of his career was the 1967 Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale, for many the most beatiful car ever made.
Even with more than 60 designs on his own Franco Scaglione the designer, has been broadly forgotten. Just his voluptuous timeless creations has bring this genius back to us.
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