Michelotti
Michelotti’s long standing association with Triumph started in 1956 when, during the development of their new small car (at the time, known as Zobo), they were approached by a jobbing Italian stylist, who offered to produce a body style for this car for the sum of £3000.
Rather bemused, Harry Webster accepted, and three months later the new and well-prepared prototype duly appeared. This model would form the basis of the Triumph Herald, and needless to say, Webster was so impressed he used the designer, Giovanni Michelotti, to design all of the company’s subsequent cars (with the notable exception of the Karmann-styled TR6). As with the BMC-Pininfarina link, the Triumph-Michelotti partnership did not survive for long in the new BLMC regime.
Is the Editor of the Parkers website and price guide, formerly editor of Classic Car Weekly, and launch editor/creator of Modern Classics magazine. Has contributed to various motoring titles including Octane, Practical Classics, Evo, Honest John, CAR magazine, Autocar, Pistonheads, Diesel Car, Practical Performance Car, Performance French Car, Car Mechanics, Jaguar World Monthly, MG Enthusiast, Modern MINI, Practical Classics, Fifth Gear Website, Radio 4, and the the Motoring Independent...
Likes 'conditionally challenged' motors and taking them on unfeasible adventures all across Europe.
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I am trying to contact EDGARDO MICHELOTTI to try and buy copies of some of the drawings and photographs he said he has in the Michelotti archives but I have not had any replies to my emails since 2009
Do you know what has happened to him or the archives ?
Kind regards
Kelvin Smith
HI
Ihave the same problem Mr. Edrgardo replies no (never)mail.
I have tied to reach him but… never an answer.
I have recently had a email from Edgardo–apologising for the long delay in replying to me –he has been very busy and has had some family problems -ill health of a close family member .
Be patient and I am sure he will be in touch
All the Best
Kelvin Smith
May 2014
Hi To all who have had no luck in contacting Edgardo .
I have heard from a third party that Edgardo is alive and well but is very busy and has not had time to go through and catalogue the vast amount stuff that he inherited from his father so I guess we will all have to be patient
All the best
Kelvin Smith
Between his involvement with Bullet/Lynx and later on Broadside (the latter of which influenced the Reliant Scimitar SS1), did Michelotti produce a counter-proposal to Harris Mann’s TR7 design or ways to improve the styling prior to Broadside?
Though Harris Mann was tasked with styling the Austin Allegro, is it known whether Michelotti provided any styling proposals beyond the ADO16-based Austin Apache/Victoria?
Hi Nate, late reply to this.
No he did not, this was because Webster bringing in the Italians for the Marina and caused big political frictions which in part led to Haynes leaving. Also the Marina completely blowing its budget, meant the Allegro’s development was kept under very tight budget control. One of the politically easiest savings to make in the Allegro’s development was thus not involve the external styling consultants.
The rest as they say is history.
It has been a few years and agree it largely unfolded as mentioned regarding external styling consultants.
At the same time since then, reached out to Michelotti’s son with my query at the Michelotti Historical Archive a while back who confirmed his father did indeed do some proposals for both the Allegro as well as the Maxi of which he only has a few drawings (that have yet to see unfortunately).