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As classic car enthusiasts, we are indebted to the many brilliant automotive designers who have given us our passion – without their unique vision, ideals and principles, we’d have nothing to get excited about. All cars would be one of the same, destined for the scrap heap at the end of their life, rather than carefully preserved as so many historic vehicles are today.

Some classic car enthusiasts will be able to list off their favourite designers from the top of their head, while others might be a bit in the dark about exactly who was behind the classic motors they know and love.

At Lancaster Insurance, we’ve come up with a list of some of our favourite classic car designers we’d like to share with you. It’s all subjective, of course, so feel free to agree or disagree with us. Hopefully, we’ll open your eyes to a few designers who you might not have heard of and perhaps even inspire you to seek out one of their creations.

If you do become appropriately inspired, don’t forget you’ll need adequate classic car insurance. The right policy can help you shoulder the financial cost of repairing or restoring your classic after an accident.

Now we’ve (hopefully) piqued your interest, let’s give some of the best classic car designers the platform and recognition they deserve.

Chris Bangle

Chris Bangle is undoubtedly an influential designer who has helped to shape the automotive industry into what it is today – in fact, he continues to exert his influence on the design of modern cars.

After graduating with a Master’s degree in industrial design, he worked his apprenticeship in Germany designing for Opel from 1981 to 1985. In 1990, he transferred to Fiat and was the chief designer for their iconic coupe, which was released in 1993. But arguably his most distinguished work came in the form of BMW’s 1, 3, 5, 6, and 7 series, alongside the much-loved Z4 – increasingly seen as a modern classic in its own right.

 

Ian Callum

Ian Callum was only ever destined to be a distinguished designer. In between his school studies at Morrison's Academy in Scotland, he would design the vehicles of his dreams. Then, at the age of 14, he had the confidence to approach Jaguar with a fully realised design, with the aim of securing a job with the manufacturer once he had finished school.

Although he didn’t make the cut on the first attempt, Callum was not deterred and he spent the next 10 years striving to become an automotive designer. After graduating from the Royal College of Art with a postgraduate Master’s degree in vehicle design, he landed his first gig with Ford in 1979.

During his time at Ford, he played an instrumental role in the design of future classics including the RS200 and Escort RS Cosworth. That alone would probably see Callum making this list, but his best work was yet to come. In 1990, he left Ford for TWR design, a small company that had nothing like the resources he was used to. But, “the imagination is unleashed by constraints”, as they say and he would go on to design the Aston Martin DB7 and Vanquish, no less, before eventually ending up at Jaguar in 1999.

Harley Earl

Harley Earl is perhaps best known as the vice president of North America’s General Motors. But he earned his esteemed reputation at the manufacturing giant as their head of design.

Earl was an innovator in the industry, transferring some of the skills and techniques he’d picked up in industrial and transportation design, such as freeform sketching, clay sculpting of conceptual models, and the ground-breaking use of “test” vehicles for marketing and design.

From Stanford University, he went to GM and became an apprentice under his father at Earl Automotive Works. Here he became well versed in the business side of the car world, as well as developing his skills as a craftsman.

Earl Automotive Works was bought by Cadillac dealer Don Lee, which meant a shift in role for Earl and he became a designer in the head office. During this time, he created the popular and iconic 1927 LaSalle. The success of this design saw Earl promoted to the first director of General Motors’ Art and Colour Section. Arguably his most iconic design was to come in the shape of the Corvette, which is still a hit today.

Are you the lucky owner of a Corvette or American muscle car? Lancaster can help you find classic car insurance to match.

 

Battista Farina

Battista Farina had exceptional principles which saw him become one of Italy’s most prized designers. As the founder of legendary car design firm Carrozzeria Pininfarina, he and his colleagues went on to create some incredible works of art.

In 1952, he won the contract to design for Ferrari. It was an inspired decision from the Italian manufacturer, with the relationship creating the 212, the Dino Berlinetta Speciale, and, perhaps Farina’s greatest work, the Testarossa.

Upon completion of his last design for Alfa Romeo (the Duetto in 1966), he died less than a month later. However, Pininfarina remains one of the most prestigious car design firms around — a testament to Farina’s incredible legacy.

 

Henrik Fisker

Henrik Fisker has one of the most impressive CVs in the automotive industry having designed for Aston Martin, BMW, VLF and his own distinguished company, Fisker Automotive. However, the Danish-born designer might become best known for creating the world’s first premium plug-in electric hybrid, the Fisker Karma. But, with the BMW Z8, Aston Martin V8 Vantage, VLF Destino V8 and the Aston Martin DB9 all bearing his design, perhaps not.

After working exclusively with BMW from 1989 until 2001, Fisker had brief stints with both Ford and Aston Martin in the early 2000s, before he went it alone with Fisker Coachbuild. The company has consulted in the reimage of designs for the likes of BMW, Mercedes Benz and Tesla.

Marcello Gandini

We make no apologies for the number of Italian designers in this list. We don’t think we’re going to get many people who disagree that the Italians have created some of the best-looking cars over the years.

Next up, it’s Marcello Gandini, who is credited with designing two of Lamborghini’s most sought-after classics, the early Miura, and the legendary Countach.

What made Gandini such a unique talent was the way he could design all types of car – from the aforementioned Countach to the Renault 5 Supercinq. He was also responsible for introducing the concept of scissor doors  with the Alfa Romeo 33 Carabo prototype.

 

Giorgetto Giugiaro

Giorgetto Giugiaro is another – you guessed it – Italian designer with that incredible ability to create everything from classic and contemporary supercars, as well as celebrated everyday vehicles. His magnificently adaptable eye for design has been recognised many times over the years – he was bestowed with the Designer of the Century award in 1999, then three years later he was inducted into the Automotive Hall of Fame.

Name a manufacturer, Giugiaro has designed for them, including Alfa Romeo, Aston Martin, BMW, Fiat, Bugatti and Ferrari. Oh, and Maserati, Lancia and Lamborghini, too. But perhaps Giugiaro is best known for designing the DMC DeLorean, the centrepiece of the movie series Back to the Future. In terms of commercial success, it was the VW Golf Mk1 that really put him on the map.

We insure hundreds of retro VWs here at Lancaster. Why not get a classic car insurance quote for yours today?

 

Shiro Nakamura

Let’s break up the run of Italian designers by looking east to Japan, where Shiro Nakamura is one of the most influential people in the automotive industry.

As Senior Vice President of one of the country’s most influential manufacturers, Nissan, he is now very much at the top of the tree in the industry. But his ascent has been down to some good old-fashioned hard graft, having first studied industrial design at the Musashino Art University in Tokyo before heading to Pasadena, California, where he would further his education with a bachelor’s in transportation design.

In 1999, Nakamura was headhunted from his position at Isuzu by Nissan and was put in charge of the manufacturer’s design and revival. His designs were both distinctive and innovative, yielding gems such as the Fairlady Z, Murano, Cube, and the jewel in the crown, the GT-R. In 2010, he was bestowed with the EyesOn Design Lifetime Achievement Award.

 

Georges Paulin

Georges Paulin is the sort of fabled character only ever seen in movies. As well as being a dentist and distinguished automobile designer, he was also the hero of the French Resistance during the Second World War.

His war heroics are the stuff of legend. In July 1940, working as an engineer at Avions Kellner-Béchereau, he teamed up with British Intelligence to fight the Nazis. Less than a year later, he was rumbled by the Gestapo and subsequently executed in March 1942. The British were prepared to rescue Paulin, but he declined their help and sacrificed himself in order to protect his team.

Prior to his death, Paulin worked under the umbrella of Rolls-Royce-Bentley and was credited with the creation of the manufacturer’s Corniche 1 and Comet Competition.

Filippo Perini

Filippo Perini started his journey in the auto industry after gaining a Master’s degree in architecture and automotive design from the Polytechnic University of Milan in 1994. During his studies for a postgraduate degree, he won over the bigwigs at Alfa Romeo who named him their design director.

During his time at Alfa Romeo, he created the iconic GTV, Spider and 8C Competizione, before trying his hand at design for Audi and Lamborghini, where is credited for creating many of today’s highly-acclaimed supercars.

Perini is also notable for his work with Volkswagen Group, as well as director of design for the prolific design company, Italdesign. He now works for Genesis Advanced Design Studio in Germany.

 

Malcolm Sayer

Malcolm Sayer began his career into aircraft engineering, which many people believe saw him bring a unique perspective to the automotive industry.

After leaving the Bristol Aeroplane Company following the conclusion of the Second World War, he kick-started his automotive career at Baghdad University in Iraq, heading up the Faculty of Engineering and working to maintain a fleet of government-owned vehicles.

Upon his return to the UK in 1950, Sayer won a position in Jaguar’s engineering drawing office under the stewardship of the manufacturer’s chief engineer, William Heynes. Armed with an extensive knowledge in aerodynamic mathematical principles, he would go on to create some of the manufacturer's most iconic designs, from the C- and D-Type, all the way to the XJ13 and XJS.

The crowning glory of Sayer’s career, however, was the legendary E-Type — a vehicle that is regularly held up as the best-looking car of all time. If you’ve got a retro Jag, Lancaster can help with classic car insurance.

 

Walter de Silva

Walter de Silva, who, born in 1951, is perhaps a little young to make a list of classic car designers – but we’ve little doubt that some of his creations will go on to be classics.

During his eight years as head of the Volkswagen Group, he has overseen the design of vehicles such as the CC, Golf, Jetta, Passat, Touareg, and Beetle. But, before his career at VW, he was the creator of both the Alfa Romeo 156 and the Audi R8. The R8, in particular, is destined to be considered a classic in years to come. Being dubbed “a car that is neither arrogant nor vulgar, but which stands out for its elegance” by the man himself, the R8 is both devastatingly fast yet easy to drive.

 

Sir Alec Issigonis

We couldn’t leave out one of the greatest car designers of all time. A pioneer of the independent suspension, Sir Alec Issigonis gave us the Morris Minor, a humble car with mass appeal. But it was his design for the Mini that really captured the hearts and minds of a nation. As an idea that was sparked by the Suez Crisis, Issigonis wanted to create a fun, affordable, economical car with superior handling that fitted four people. And so the Mini was born. And the rest, as they say, is history.

If you’re keeping a little piece of Mini history alive, we can help protect it with our classic car insurance.

 

Protect your investment with classic car insurance

If you’re lucky enough to drive or own one of the classics mentioned above – or any classic for that matter – you’re going to need specialist classic car insurance. 

Thousands of classic owners trust Lancaster to protect their pride and joy. From MGBs and Land Rovers to VWs, Renault and Jags, we’re the specialists at finding the right cover for even hard-to-insure classics.

Like you, the team at Lancaster is passionate about classic cars. We can offer cover for static shows, historical rallies, restoration projects and more. Limited mileage discounts are also available if your classic only comes out on very special occasions.

Get a quote today.

Policy benefits, features and discounts offered may very between insurance schemes or cover selected and are subject to underwriting criteria. Information contained within this article is accurate at the time of publishing but may be subject to change.