Overview

• Spada died on August 3, 2025 at age 88, and industry publications are running retrospectives on his career.
• He began his design career at Zagato in 1960 and oversaw nearly 30 low-volume models, including the Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato and Alfa Romeo Giulietta SZ.
• His signature use of the 'coda tronca' (Kamm tail) technique combined aerodynamic efficiency with refined form and influenced generations of car styling.
• After leaving Zagato, he served as chief designer at Ford’s Carrozzeria Ghia, creating the limited-production GT70, and joined BMW in 1976 to co-lead the E32 7 Series and E34 5 Series designs.
• Returning to Turin as I.D.E.A. Institute design chief in 1983, he guided models like the Fiat Tipo and Alfa Romeo 155 before co-founding Spadaconcept in 2006 to continue his purist design ethos.