Giovanni Savonuzzi

Giovanni Savonuzzi(28 January 1911 – 18 February 1988) was an Italian automobile designer who was born and died inFerrara.

Savonuzzi received a degree inmechanical engineeringfromPolitecnico di Torinoin 1939 and worked forFiat Aviazioneand taught inaeronauticsat thepolitecnico.DuringWorld War IIhe served inAlbania.In August 1945^[1]he succeededDante Giacosaas technical director of theCisitaliacarmaker, first completing Giacosa'sCisitalia D46cigarshaped racing car. Before he left for in 1948 due to a disagreement, he had sketched out the Spider Nuvolari and the 202 CMM Aerodinamica Savonuzzi (to be built byPinin Farina).^[2]

He designed the SVA Midget racer while withSocietà Valdostana Automobili(SVA) 1948–49, lectured atpolitecnicoand had somefreelancework, including forCisitaliain 1951 under Carlo Dusio. He oversaw the production of the Ford-Cisitalia 808 project in 1952.^[3]

As the technical director forCarrozzeria GhiaunderLuigi Segrefrom 1953 to 1957, Savonuzzi developed the "Supersonic" series inspired by gasturbines(as a result of his access towind tunnelsat thepolitecnico). First one-off car was anAlfa Romeo 1900tuned byVirgilio Conrerofor theMille Migliarace. He then applied this toFiat 8V(14 chassises),DeSoto AdventurerII,Jaguar XK120(three chassises) andAston Martin DB2/4.^[4]

Even more futuristic and bold styling saw the 1955 Ghia "Gilda" (named afterRita Hayworth),^[1]and a less radicalFerrari 410 Gilda Superamerica.

From 1957 to 1969 Savonuzzi worked under research director George J. Huebner (1910–96) for the turbine department ofChryslerinDetroit,being chief engineer for automotive research from 1962.^[5]The resultingChrysler Turbine Car1962–64 were not designed by Savonuzzi, but bodied byCarrozzeria Ghia.He also studied crash-proof cars.^[6]Following some time as Director of R&D underGianni AgnelliatFiat,he devoted himself to teaching at thepolitecnicountil retirement in 1977.^[7]