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I think it’s unquestionable that the 1950s and 60s have been the “golden era” of Italian automobile design. But what if I told you that one of the world’s most accomplished Italian car designers was actually born and raised in Detroit, Michigan?
This is the amazing story of Tom Tjaarda: the American designer behind some of the most iconic Italian classics.
Tom #Tjaarda arrived in Turin, the city that would become his home for almost six decades, in 1958, and by 1961 the first of over fifty cars Tom would design in his career was in production: the Innocenti 950 Spider.
The same year, Tjaarda left Ghia for Pininfarina. Under the direction of the company’s design director Franco Martinengo, Tom designed arguably the most important cars of his career: the one-off Corvette Rondine and the successful #Fiat124Spider. #Designer
From 1968, Tom Tjaarda was the design director of Carrozzeria Ghia, which had fallen under Alejandro De Tomaso’s ownership.
Naturally, the highlight of this period must be the De Tomaso Pantera, the striking mid-engined supercar powered by Ford’s “Cleveland” 351 V8 engine that, between 1971 and 1975, was sold in the USA through the Lincoln-Mercury dealership network. With about 7000 units sold, the Pantera is by far the most successful De Tomaso model in the company’s troubled history and a coveted classic today.
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My automotive books:
Six Appeal – The Story Of The Alfa 6
Alfa Romeo Giulietta – The Story 1977 – 1985
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ITALIAN:
Alfa Romeo Arna – The Full Story 1980 – 1987