In The News

Italian car designer Sergio Scaglietti passes away

Italian car designer Sergio Scaglietti passes away

TRIBUTES have been paid to the Italian car designer Sergio Scaglietti who has died aged 91.

Mr. Scaglietti worked on some of the Ferrari company’s most famous models. He designed the Ferrari 250 GTO (see below) of which only 36 cars were built in the early 1960s and today change hands for many millions of pounds.

He had opened his own coach building facility in the 1950s and very soon came to the attention of Ferrari founder Enzo Ferrari who encouraged the young designer.

Mr. Scaglietti was to work on a range of prototypes based both his own designs and those of fellow designer Pinin Farina.

Among the cars which are credited to Mr. Scaglietti alone are the 1958 250 Testa Rossa. He coined the name after Ferrari engineers ran out of the black paint they used for the engine camshaft covers.

The designer told the engineers to paint the covers red, adding that he would call the car the Testa Rossa (meaning ‘red head’).

He also designed other much sought after Ferrari models, including the 250 California and the 250 Tour de France.

In 2004 Ferrari honoured Mr. Scaglietti’s contribution to the marque by naming its four-seater grand tourer the 612 Scaglietti.

Tributes were led by Ferrari chairman Luca di Montezemolo who said: “We have lost a friend, a travel companion, a man who had his name forever connected to the Prancing Horse.”

Piero Ferrari, Enzo’s son, added his tribute. He said: “I loved him and he was a very important part of my life. My life will be emptier without Sergio.”

To view a short film which features Ferrari 250 GTOs click here.

 

View previous In the News items: Artist and sculptor Gerald Laing passes away, Tireless campaigner for humand rights Danielle Mitterrand passes away, Boss of worldwide sports agency passes away, Cricket legend Basil DOliveira passes away, Karl Slover who appeared in the Wizard of Oz passes away, Actress Dulcie Gray passes away, Former footballer Alf Fields passes away, Political satirist and impressionist Sean Crummey is laid to rest, Security measures taken to protect grave of Sir Jimmy Savile, Developer of the indoor skiiing machine passes away, Sir Jimmy Savile is laid to rest, Former world heavyweight boxing champion Joe Frazier passes away, Doctor who helped create synthetic skin passes away, Actor Leonard Stone passes away, Country music singer and songwriter Liz Anderson passes away, Boxer Irish Tom McNeeley passes away, Big band singer Beryl Davis passes away, Tributes are paid to the actor Charles Napier, Songwriter and musician Paul Leka passes away, Computer scientist who coined the term Atificial Intelligence passes away, Mathematician who won a Nobel Prize passes away, Tributes are paid to bandleader Edmundo Ros, Former Crossroads actress Sue Lloyd passes away, Star of the silent movie era passes away, Audio pioneer who revolutionised speaker design passes away, Man is killed in County Tyrone road accident, Coronation Street star Betty Driver passes away, One of the unsung heroes of the internet age passes away, Cancer specialist and comedian Rob Buckman passes away, Cremations could overtake burials in Northern Ireland, Businessman who was plunged into the Watergate scandal passes away, Actor George Baker passes away, Screen and stage star Diane Cilento passes away, Tributes are paid to Apple computer visionary Steve Jobs, Former England cricketer Graham Dilley passes away, Physicist who developed WWII radar device passes away, Nobel prize will stand for Canadian professor who had passed away, Guitarist and songwriter Marvin Tarplin passes away, Well known gospel singer Jessy Dixon passes away, Inventor whose work advanced the use of heart pacemakers passes away, Tragic Ballycastle woman is laid to rest, Funeral of former loyalist paramilitary leader takes place, Photographer whose work for the Beatles caused controversy passes away, Indian cricket legend Pataudi passes away or Tributes are paid to Dolores Hope the widow of entertainer Bob

 

If you have a relative or a friend who has passed away and feel they should be mentioned in our In the News section, then please email us.