The 12 greatest car designers of all time

Car's have many people involved in their development. From engineering the bits to creating the clay moulds, deciding what materials are used inside to marketing the finished product.
But, there's only really one team of people whose work is showcased visibly to the world, to everyone who sees the car - the designers. And some of those designers are so brilliant, so famous, that they transcend the world of car culture, becoming famous in their own right.
Here's a little list of twelve whose work we adore.
Timestamps:
0:00 Intro
00:39 Gandini
02:03 Giugiaro
03:18 Fioravanti
04:32 Issigonis
05:28 Welter
07:07 Towns
08:14 Stevens
09:30 Donckerwolke
10:55 Bangle
12:11 Callum
13:12 De Silva
14:23 Stephenson
#gwoverdrive #cardesign #Lamborghini
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[@popinjayjunior7698]

You need to add one more: Bruno Sacco. The legendary designer of the Mercedes Benz W201, W123, W124, and the R129.

[@thenonadventure]

Came here to say the same thing. To me, this video looses credibility by excluding the legendary Bruno Sacco.

[@MDDeGrande1994]

And the W126!

[@NicholasTJR]

you forgot the most iconic W140..even though he didn't like it. But it def went on to become one of the most iconic mercedes S class.

[@PunksloveTrumpys]

Absolutely, also the W220, the last understated and tastefully-styled S-Class we've seen.

[@Waeliousss]

Couldnt agree more

[@abdallahalhadid]

You forgot Paul Bracq, A genius designer who defined Mercedes- Benz in 60's, BMW in 70's, and Peugeot later on.

[@lancraft]

You forgot Paul Bracq. He did many of the most attractive Mercedes, including the 600, the 230sl pagoda, and many other Mercedes from that generation. He also did some of the most classic BMWs, including all their key cars from the 1970s; the 3, 5, 6, & 7 series to name a few. Bracq should be mentioned in the top 4 with Gandini, Fioravanti, and Giugiaro. Bangle shouldn’t be mentioned at all…

[@antonioviana1641]

and Bruno Sacco too

[@awannagannaful]

@@antonioviana1641 Agreed 100%

[@michaelteret4763]

The E25 Turbo is exquisite.

[@btatehubbard]

Came here to say that. Paul Bracq designed the prettiest and most iconic Mercedes and then defined modern BMW with the series cars.

[@rainhanger]

I was thinking the same... was waiting to mention him, unfortanatly he didnt.

[@sanderdejong66]

For those who miss Giovanni Bertone and Battista Pininfarina in this list: they are better known for the companies that they founded, than for the cars that they designed themselves.

[@philwebster0815]

Flaminio Bertoni with the Citroen DS, 2CV and Ami 6. And Peter Schreyer with Audi TT and the current Kia/Hyundai Design.

[@MrAmogill]

I met Peter Stevens, early in my career as a car designer, and he was such a supportive and positive character, he believed in me and my vision. Love him!

[@NoName-cn3cp]

Ok liar

[@douglas_drew]

@@NoName-cn3cp Do you not know who @Amoconda is???

[@MDDeGrande1994]

@Amoconda Wait, you're a car designer? I've never heard of you. What's your name so I can look you up?

[@xav_crack]

Hi man! How is the career going? You were able to find a job?

[@MrAmogill]

@@NoName-cn3cp ha why I gotta lie???

[@giuliopedrali4794]

My 12 favorite car designer are: Giorgetto Giugiaro, Michelotti, Bruno Sacco, Paul Bracq, Pietro Frua, Klaus Luthe, Aldo Sessano, Helmut Warkuss, John Manoogian, Paolo Martin, Sixten Sason and William Towns.

[@dennisdose5697]

Sixten Sason, Saab Sonnett? Boy was that alliterative. 😏

[@ambergris5705]

You were actually right in omitting someone: Robert Opron. Not because Opron's designs (especially at Citroën) weren't amazing (think GS, CX, the mother of all GTs her majesty the SM, and yes, the restyled version of the DS, which is the definitive image we have of the Déesse --sorry Flaminio), but because he considered himself as a sculptor, not a car designer. And it shows, his cars look as if carved out of one solid block, they have a very un-car like movement, which makes his designs stand out even today. Now, do another list of the greatest car sculptors of all time, he better be number one :)

[@somebloke4027]

The man who designed what is often called the most beautiful car ever deserves a mention: Malcolm Sayer

[@MiniMii550]

The car Enzo Ferrari himself was the most beautiful ever made, the Jaguar E-Type

[@strictlygrey]

Peter Stephens also designed the original Subaru Impreza WRC for 1997

[@delahayenator]

Giovanni Michelotti and Ercole Spada should be in this list, and I think I've missed Tom Tjaarda too. Come on, if you make a list like this these great designers should be in there.

[@overspecced]

I was surprised

[@MrDownRater]

You are absolutely right! Michelotti is definitely a top 5 desigber of all time and they didn't even mention him. I think these lists made by inters after an hour of googling.

[@federicodecuadro5672]

Pietro Frua, Franco Scaglione, Giovanni and Nuccio Bertone, Raymond Loewy... They are all design super stars, but leave it to a Brit to fill a list of "Greatest Designers" with British one hit wonders and a bunch of somewhat successful yet unknown guys

[@arpinchock]

I was also very surprised and disappointed as Michelotti was one of the greats in his time!

[@delahayenator]

@@federicodecuadro5672 Yes, another couple of names that deserve mentioning. The guy making this might want to check out the Roadster Life channel before he makes another list :)

[@pablomusi2679]

Totally agree with your Frank Stephenson comments! To improve the Ferrari 360 into the Ferrari F430 with F1 technology and Ferrari’s purest details (sharknose, 250 LM intakes, headlights, curves, taillights, exhausts, difusers… he is a genius! Love your video!

[@carguybikeguy]

I’d posit Tsutomu Matano should be on a revised & expanded list. Granted his cars are not featured but lots of cars followed. He reinvented the practical modern interpretation and production ready application of the ‘British sports car’ formula in giving us the MX-5 Miata. He gave us the FD-RX7 & the RX8. Worked on numerous GM cars & then some. Kept nineties & ‘00s interesting.

[@herrerasauro7429]

Yeah, not even one japanese designer is a travesty and specially one with such a portfolio.

[@user-pn3im5sm7k]

@@herrerasauro7429 Especially Larry Shinoda. While he is a Japanese-American he designed some of America's most beautiful cars. Corvette stingray, Mercury Cougar, '69 Mustang Boss 302 to name a few.

[@johnnywires943]

How on earth can you leave out Malcolm Sayer,the designer of the the greatest of them all,the Jaguar E-Type.

[@Driftuner]

Wow, Bangle on the list but not Ken Okuyama?! You guys must be drunk...

[@nastybastardatlive]

Top of the list: Virgil Exner.

[@leojonsson7897]

i was waiting for Horacio Pagani. The father of some of the most beautiful cars in the world.

[@jaroslavzaruba2765]

the Miura concept is stunning 👍🏻props to De Silva

[@zaphodsrealm1549]

Harley Earl... nuff said.

[@alexander1485]

Virgil Exner...

[@gerardodandrea1166]

Let me set something. Dino was designed by Mr. Brovarone (Artist) and F40 by Materazzi (Engineer).

[@energymc22]

But Materazzi (RIP) was an engineer, he would not have been involved with the styling of the car

[@massimobernardo-]

Materazzi non disegnava auto , inCironati

[@gerardodandrea1166]

@@massimobernardo- Esatto. Le progettava, per intero. Permalosetto.

[@massimobernardo-]

@@gerardodandrea1166 si faceva tutto lui guarda .... ,manco 100 anni fa con le carrozze a motore questo succedeva .

[@massimobernardo-]

@@gerardodandrea1166 scommetto pure che credi che Musk progetta le Tesla e i razzi , nel tempo libero i treni .

[@ambergris5705]

One general criticism I would give to the video is that it is limited in time and geography. It's either the three great Italians who defined the wedge, or early 2000s geniuses of Europe (with the exception of Towns -another wedger- and Sir Alec Issigonis). I wish there was a bit more of earlier designers (pre-war like Jean Bugatti), early post war (like, obviously, Pininfarina), or later 80s and 90s designers (like Uwe Bahnsen, Bruno Sacco, Patrick Le Quément), and also of non European designers (I know Stephenson is American, but he mostly worked in Europe), like Harley Earl, Bill Mitchell, Raymond Loewy, Ken Okayama, Tsutomu Matano, and whoever came up with the Nissan Figaro.

[@herrerasauro7429]

Absolutely this.

[@Xerber85]

Don’t forget Chris Bangle’s Fiat Coupé. Still a very beautiful design in my opinion. I’ve had two in the distant past: an underpowered, naturally aspirated 1.8 and a very fast (for its time) 2.0 5 cylinder turbo. They were built at Pininfarina, but had some of the worst electrical gremlins I have experienced in any car.

[@johnsim3722]

Definitely agree that Ian Callum deserves to be in there - he's a design genius. But another is Julian Thomson. Everybody knows he did the original Lotus Elise, but he also did the Land Rover LRX concept. Why is that important? Every single Range Rover afterwards has lifted the looks from that concept. He then also worked with Callum on the latest run of updates to the Jaguars, the last that Jaguar will see because the current CEO Thierry Bollore is currently in the process of killing off Jaguar. The worst automotive CEO also manage to lose one of the best designers in the business.

[@mikepierson7447]

Ian Callem I would say has my vote for top designers.

[@LePixelRacer]

As a car design enthusiast for the last 25 years since my early teens, this video is the best I've seen in recent years. I obviously know each and everyone of these legendary designers and their work but seeing those gorgeous cars in high quality pictures and the commentary that comes with it is just pure joy. Thanks for that video.

[@marcobusch]

I loved the episode!!!!

[@markwest2810]

was kinda disappointed that Raymond Leowe wasn't mentioned, but that's my bias :)

[@ziauddinsiddiqui7769]

I think the best BMW Designer would be person who designed the 2000 BMW 7 Series. That was the truly a work of art.

[@jstewlly4747]

De Silva is everything Audi A5 B8 Is still the most beautiful car ever made love mine

[@surfblue63]

Virgil Exner, Bill Mitchel and Harley Earl should all get a mention

[@dennisdose5697]

Mitchell managed gm design and had great taste and an eye for talent, but did he actually design? I honestly don't know. Personal opinion but Earl was far behind Edsel Ford. Earl's cars ranged from frumpy to tacky. Exner's were certainly extroverted but aged terribly. Raymond Lowey and Gordon Buehrig delivered far better work that still looks great today. Taste varies, but these are my thoughts. Take care.

[@MHassan1986]

NGL, that Aston Martin Bulldog looks Utterly Beautiful

[@JonnyOpinionated]

So Malcolm Sayer gets the snub? Designs the E-Type, but the bro who designed it's replacement and drew inspiration from the E-Type makes the cut? Also notably absent are members of the Bertone and Pininfarina families.

[@evo5dave]

I think I'm one of the few people on earth who thinks the Aston Martin Lagonda looks phenomenal but Towns being one of the greatest designers? Pushing it!

[@ambergris5705]

Agreed, it left out some geniuses outside of the list

[@ghost_6583]

The guys who draw thé LC 500, the Roma and the CC850 are crazy genius

[@leonardocampagna6059]

I would add the leggendary Flaminio Bertoni and castegnero, underrated

[@op_vox]

Bangle is definitely my favourite

[@Pirustae]

Whoever designed and styled the E-type, is the best designer.

[@michaelteret4763]

Giugiaro and Gandini can’t be beat.

[@jorgeg162]

Great list but I miss Flaminio Bertoni here..

[@awannagannaful]

No Bertone, Fininfarina or Vignale, Ghia, Sacco?? Guess they don't count the actual studios, but they did found them after all, and the others made amazing iconic cars like the Fords and Mercs in the 70's and 80's

[@tony_5156]

I aspire to be like these men

[@markmartinsmith]

So no need to include Malcolm Sayer and the E-Type…? Bonkers list.

[@richardike2342]

I know Frank Stephenson, and l think he is the greatest one. I told him that he was like the Apex Predator of the Car Design business.

[@emmanuelsuligoy8334]

beautiful

[@RzogL]

You missed Paolo Martín, Franco Scaglione, Ercole Spada, Robert Opron, Aldo Brovarone, Wayne Cherry, Paul Bracq, Bruno Sacco, Harm Lagaay, Grant Larson, Anatole Lapin, Malcolm Sayer, William Lyons, Ken Okuyama, Jason Castriota and many others.

[@Gois83]

Tom Tjaarda, Ercole Spada, Giovanni Michelotti, Virgil Exner, Gordon Buehrig, Louis de Fabribeckers... Any of these deserved to be on this list instead of Chris "Banger"...

[@SamRyouji]

Not including Bruno Sacco in this list is almost a literal crime. :(

[@el.blanco8961]

Donkerwolke might have nailed this decades new designs with Hyundais ioniq 5 looks amazing, i feel like that's going to be the design of the future, you can see it with the n vision 72 as well.

[@orabi1]

Flavio Manzoni should definitely be on this list. The LaFerrari is a masterpiece on its own.

[@fritzbrause6332]

I think Paul Bracq and Claus Luthe deserve to be on the list.

[@johnjuiceshipper4963]

There’s one big name I’m missing: Opron.

[@Pirustae]

There's nothing like the F40. To me, it's the best looking supercall of all time.

[@asanbryt9337]

The narrator was stunning👌. Enjoyed the narration as much the video.

[@samhaines8228]

Excellent video, should be the start of a series, or even an introduction to a course on automobile design. In any event, more please!!

[@waters1801]

Very enjoyable video! And again, love the narration!

[@luanp.hasnay2600]

Michelotti, Loewy,Exner,Mitchell,Earl,James,Bracq etc

[@stephenhenion8304]

Top shelf list of designers, for sure.....thanks for sharing... really enjoyed this one

[@vinylrichiejr.2416]

Flaminio Bertoni needs to be on this list too, as well as Giovanni Michelotti, Franco Scaglione, etc.

[@veryrare7647]

to think Bertone wasn't mentioned...madness! No single studio had as much influential designs as Bertone (except maybe guigiaro)

[@nicolafox5786]

Cool 😎

[@ptingz9307]

What about Peter Schreyer? Former Audi/ vw designer who now designs for the Kia/ Hyundai group. Works like the Original Audi TT to the Kia Stinger

[@thedelaminator]

I think one thing that needs mentioning is that in a lot of cases a 'head of design' does not actually create the original concept on which the finished design is based. There are many designers in a car design studio and quite often that originator of the finished design never gets the full credit they deserve.

[@sports2hedz542]

Totally agree. They alluded to this though.

[@thestoiccarguy]

Have you all forgotten Malcom Sayer? He designed what old man Enzo reportedly called the most beautiful car in the world, the E Type with the D Type, Xkss, C type and the XJS. Which are quintessentially the most beautiful classic sports cars of all time

[@rishikeshraj1138]

Great content. Respect to all the designers. I'm also an automotive designer searching to get my place in the industry.. Hope I will conclude to the world too

[@stefanpop6091]

Frank Stephenson is such a lovely guy!

[@willyum6397]

the WM actually hit 407 i believe, but they said 405 in the ad for commercialisation

[@garchompy_1561]

here to nomminate Reid Railton. Designer of the fastest vehicles in the world around the first half of the 20th century, including the Napier Railton, and the Railton special, along with several collaborative vehicles with Malcomb Cambell, in the form of bluebird.

[@ambergris5705]

The WM Peugeot P88 actually did 407 km/h, but since you'd have to wait for about two decades to see a brand new Peugeot 407, the number was (incredibly) rounded down

[@Alby_Torino]

Well there are 3 great names missing the Italians Flaminio Bertoni, designer of Citroen DS, Bruno Sacco designer of many Mercedes and Pininfarina, you named him but he deserved to be better covered

[@Easy_Rider77]

Bruno Sacco - Mercedes w126 , w124 , w140

[@pervertt]

I agree. His designs defined MB in the 1980s.

[@selversterharley7628]

Chris bangle 🖤🔥

[@bobmitchell8012]

What about Virgil Exner, or Gerald Palmer ?

[@TheTbet]

My fav all the Italians and Stephenson

[@pixelatehead]

How about one video of motorcycle designers?

[@Pirustae]

The Z4 isn't ugly. The rest of his work is.

[@jomaoliveira7949]

Didn't expect to see Issigonis in this list...

[@detroitmichigan2781]

So, Somehow the appaling designs from Bangle made it to the list, but you guys decided to leave out Karim Habib, the only guy who make stunning looking BMWs in the 21st century

[@DouglasJWalker]

I love Franks X1 Mclaren. I wish it was mentioned

[@WilliamB.D.]

where is Japanese designers

[@aris1956]

However…….the greatest artists, the greatest designers have always come from Italy. Just take a look into the history of Italian art. It is something that exists in the DNA of the Italians.

[@MiniMii550]

The Ferrari 288 GTO is in many ways the prototype V8 MR Ferrari that still influences the overall shape of the brand today so you could say Fioravanti is to Ferrari what Gandini is to Lamborghini

[@V12motorsports]

Malcolm Sayer should've made the list

[@kylevogler6863]

No Harley Earl ? He kicked off the styling resonance of the 1950s

[@Kris_T_]

Don't forget Clarkson & the Eagle I-Thrust.

[@stephenberry1205]

Robert Opron - Citroen masterpieces - SM, GS, CX, 4 headlight DS, Ami 6, Renault, Simca, Fiat.... Zee French and Italians have always led style by a long way....

[@rn5362]

No mention of Bruno Sacco, & Friedrich Geiger? Who is the amateur behind this video?

[@Dipierox]

Gilles Vidal also has to be on the next list : his design transformed Peugeot from a dying brand in 2012 to a great company today. Among his best designs, there's the Onyx Concept car, the E-Lengend and the latest 508

[@SavageListener]

whomever put that fastback design on the VW Beetle must have been insane.

[@lenhornsey2175]

Excellent observations

[@mcjdubpower]

Gud vid

[@anuraagt]

Yes, left out a lot of old greats, and a few too many Brits in the list to be an objective list. Citroen's amazing design work should have surfaced, and obviously classic Bugattis, to think of a couple. Leaving out the Americans, the legendary Harley Earl is also ridiculous. Just no way that this list is deep enough in automotive history, or broad enough to be even remotely representative of automotive design greats. I also thought including Chris Bangle was absurd - he's hated, and while influential, can't be considered great because his designs haven't overcome the controversy they created.

[@zetecryt]

Exactly what I wanted to say. :) Each to their own, but for me, designs that don't follow function are almost always forgettable, no matter how impactful it is at the time of unveiling. Aside from Bugatti, Colin Chapman's racing cars are some of the most beautiful creations on 4 wheels, for example.

[@macmaccourt]

0:39 - 2:03 - 3:18 - 8:14 - 9:30 - 14:23 - For the Win!

[@rohanreddy9331]

mate u forgot pagani. Single handedly designed the most gorgeous looking hypercars!

[@user-my5cu7oy5i]

Next time start with the most iconic cars and work backwards: Lamborghini Aventador (Filippo Perini) La Ferrari (Flavio Manzoni) Porsche Carrera GT (Harm Lagaay)

[@petkokrushev3840]

I'm in pursue to buy one of the Giugiaro's artworks - the alfa 159

[@energymc22]

6:52 - and megalomaniac Piech's target when specifying the Veyron was that this road car must be faster than the record holder at Le Mans, hence why the original Veyron has the top speed that it has

[@iselkorchi3170]

Waiting for Gordon Murray

[@Fastvoice]

Why? He is mentioned in the video.

[@feefyefoefum]

Robert Opron, David Ogle, Andy Saunders...

[@MrWolf-xk8sl]

Italians are just the best in arts and design, just look at their cities!

[@dhproductions4212]

Please do a part two and have McKinley Thompson. He did the original Bronco and worked on the Mustang and the Gt40

[@chiefkeef74]

Harley Earl should be included for creating the beautiful C1 Vette

[@jkulick82]

Looks like you have enough designers to make 3 more list's from the comments section. Well played 😆