Ercole Spada has passed away at the age of 88. The renowned designer was responsible for many notable cars in a career that lasted more than 50 years.
A quiet man, Spada let his work do the talking and it spoke loudly of his talent. After studying at the Technical Institute of Milan, he was taken on by Zagato in 1960, where he went on to style the Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato.
Spada also penned the Alfa Romeo Giulietta SZ Coda Tronca and Junior Z, and the
Bristol 406, giving Zagato a distinct look compared to its rival carrozzerria.
He then moved to Ford, where he styled the GT70 rally car that failed to compete, followed by a short tenure at Audi before he went to BMW. There, he came up with the shapes of the E32 7 Series and E34 5 Series, which helped define the German companies design philosophy to the present day.
Ercole Spada later returned to his beloved Italy to work for IDEA and then Zagato again. He also started his own car company with his son, Paolo, and continued to work even in retirement.
