The late Ercole Spada’s funeral was held in the city of Cavoretto on August 6, 2025. FIVA was in attendance represented by General Secretary, Gian Mario Mollar. One of Italy’s most renown post-war designers, the late Ercole Spada was responsible for some of most iconic lines in automotive history. In 2023, Ercole Spada was inducted in the FIVA Heritage Hall of Fame in celebration of the achievements of this legendary man. Former FIVA Vice President Gautam Sen had the honor of knowing and interacting with the late Mr. Spada for over three decades and he has kindly agreed to share a few words with us in memory of the late designer and creator.
When the Alfa Romeo Giulietta SZ, built by the renowned Italian coachbuilder Zagato, began to fall behind the faster and more competitive Lotus Elite, Elio Zagato and his young designer, Ercole Spada, turned to aerodynamics for answers. Inspired by Wunibald Kamm’s theories, the duo spent six months refining the car’s shape. The result, unveiled in June 1961, was a redesigned version of the SZ – lower by 4 cm and longer by 14 cm than the original.
This updated model, known as the Coda Tronca ("truncated tail"), contrasted with the earlier Coda Tonda ("round tail") and delivered a significant performance boost. Despite using the same 1.3-liter engine and maintaining the same weight, it reached a top speed of around 220 km/h – roughly 20 km/h faster than its predecessor. The credit for this leap in efficiency and speed goes to the young Ercole Spada, who sadly passed away on Sunday, August 3, leaving behind a remarkable legacy as one of the most influential car designers of the 20th century.
During his years at Zagato, Spada helped define a design identity that remained distinctively Zagato while respecting the DNA of the base marques. His creations – including the Alfa Romeo TZ1 and TZ2, 2600 SZ, Giulietta SZ, and Lancia’s Flaminia Super Sport and Fulvia Sport Zagato – came to dominate European sports car racing. He was also responsible for a wide range of concept cars, special commissions, and one-offs.
Born on July 26, 1937, Spada graduated in industrial engineering in 1956 and joined Zagato in 1960. His decade there marked a golden era for the firm. In 1970, he moved to Ford Europe’s design centre in Turin, where he worked on models like the Taunus, Granada, Capri, and Fiesta, as well as the ambitious GT70 rally car.
Spada’s career later took him to Ghia in 1973, where he worked on American Ford projects including a late-1970s Mustang. After brief stints at Audi and BMW – where he contributed to the 1980s 5- and 7-Series – he took the helm of the I.DE.A Institute from 1983 to 1993. There, he played a key role in developing the Tata Indica and spearheaded the innovative Tipo Quattro platform, which underpinned seven models (Fiat Tipo and Tempra, Lancia Dedra and Delta II, Alfa Romeo 155, among others). The designs were so cleverly differentiated that only insiders recognized their shared foundations.
From 1993 onward, Spada worked independently, offering design expertise to global brands such as Alfa Romeo, Ferrari, Fiat, Mercedes, Nissan, Toyota, Isuzu, BMW, GM, and Kia. Notable projects included the Ferrari FZ93 Zagato and the retro-futuristic O.S.C.A. Dromos, a mid-engined prototype that, unfortunately, never made it to production.
In 2004, alongside his son Paolo, manager Domiziano Boschi, and designer Wojtek Sokolowski, Spada co-founded the design studio Spadaconcept. Their flagship project, the TS Codatronca, was a modern tribute to his classic Alfa TZs – built on Corvette underpinnings and featuring bold, aerodynamic styling inspired by his original Kamm-tail designs.
Ercole Spada was more than just a pioneering designer – he was a warm, kind, and gracious man. I’ve had the privilege of knowing him well for nearly 30 years, and his passing leaves a deep void.
Farewell, Ercole Spada.
Text by Gautam Sen
Pictures kinldy offered by ASI
