| |
Deutsch

1976 ItalDesign Medici 2

ItalDesign Maserati Medici II, 1976
ItalDesign Maserati Medici II, 1976
ItalDesign Maserati Medici II, 1976
ItalDesign Maserati Medici II, 1976
ItalDesign Maserati Medici II, 1976 - Photo: Rainer Schlegelmilch
ItalDesign Maserati Medici II, 1976 - Photo: Rainer Schlegelmilch
ItalDesign Maserati Medici II, 1976 - Photo: Rainer Schlegelmilch
ItalDesign Maserati Medici II, 1976 - Photo: Rainer Schlegelmilch
ItalDesign Maserati Medici II, 1976 - Photo: Rainer Schlegelmilch
ItalDesign Maserati Medici II, 1976 - Photo: Rainer Schlegelmilch
ItalDesign Maserati Medici II, 1976 - Photo: Rainer Schlegelmilch
ItalDesign Maserati Medici II, 1976 - Photo: Rainer Schlegelmilch
ItalDesign Maserati Medici II, 1976 - Photo: Rainer Schlegelmilch
ItalDesign Maserati Medici II, 1976 - Photo: Rainer Schlegelmilch
ItalDesign Maserati Medici II, 1976 - Photo: Rainer Schlegelmilch
ItalDesign Maserati Medici II, 1976 - Photo: Rainer Schlegelmilch
ItalDesign Maserati Medici II, 1976 - Photo: Rainer Schlegelmilch
ItalDesign Maserati Medici II, 1976 - Photo: Rainer Schlegelmilch
ItalDesign Maserati Medici II, 1976 - Photo: Rainer Schlegelmilch
ItalDesign Maserati Medici II, 1976 - Photo: Rainer Schlegelmilch
ItalDesign Maserati Medici II, 1976 - Photo: Rainer Schlegelmilch
ItalDesign Maserati Medici II, 1976 - Photo: Rainer Schlegelmilch
ItalDesign Maserati Medici II, 1976 - Photo: Rainer Schlegelmilch
ItalDesign Maserati Medici II, 1976 - Photo: Rainer Schlegelmilch
ItalDesign Maserati Medici II, 1976 - Photo: Rainer Schlegelmilch
ItalDesign Maserati Medici II, 1976 - Photo: Rainer Schlegelmilch
ItalDesign Maserati Medici II, 1976 - Photo: Rainer Schlegelmilch
ItalDesign Maserati Medici II, 1976 - Photo: Rainer Schlegelmilch
Bilder: ItalDesign; www.classicdriver.com
Bewertung:  27    -14    +41
1976 Maserati Medici II (ItalDesign)
The luxury super-saloon is nowadays considered a must-have model for the majority of prestige manufacturers. But the legendary designer Giorgetto Giugiaro was working hard on perfecting a car that combined performance and luxury with four-door practicality back in the mid-70s.

In 1974, the tireless Giugiaro – fresh from penning Maseratis Ghibli, Bora and Merak – began a project to design a four-door Maserati that combined the luxury of an American limousine with abundant power – the latter being notably absent in the 207bhp Quattroporte II of the same year. The philosophy of Giugiaro’s car was expounded in its name, ‘Medici’: inspired by the celebrated Florence family that had risen to fame in the 14th Century, through an unequivocal business aptitude and a love of culture and arts.

The Medici sat on an existing Maserati chassis, and boasted a longitudinally mounted 5.0-litre V8 in lieu of the underwhelming 3.0-litre V6 used in the Quattroporte II. Inside, the car had seating for six – with four ‘living-room’ style chairs facing each other, giving the velour-lined interior an atmosphere reminiscent of a limousine, just as the design brief had specified. Giugiaro sought a ‘balanced and elegant’ shape for the body of the car, taking cues from some of his previous work such as the Audi Asso Di Picche concept (with a design language that was also evident in the later B2 Audi Coupé – you may see some resemblance).

However, the final outcome bore a bonnet that was too streamlined for the roofline, therefore resulting in an oddly proportioned car – extremely un-Giugiaro-like, considering that his catalogue raisonné includes the De Tomaso Mangusta, Iso Grifo and BMW M1. Like many geniuses, Giugiaro is extremely self-critical, and even official documentation from the Italdesign styling house he formed in 1968 accepts the disappointments of the Medici’s styling.

Nevertheless, another trait of artistic genius is persistence, which Giugiaro duly displayed in the years to come. Indeed, he brought the regrettable Maserati back into his workshop and set about creating the Medici II, ‘cutting and stitching’ the metalwork to correct the anomalous proportions of the 1974 Turin Motor Show car. While the stubby-tailed, two-box silhouette was retained, the bonnet line was raised to sit better with the perpendicular lines displayed elsewhere on the car, thus resulting in the pop-up headlights being exchanged for more conventional rectangular ones, between which a more conventional grille was also integrated. While his alterations all but put paid to the sporty character Giugiaro was so keen to achieve, a classier look was adopted and subsequently embraced by the Piedmont-born designer.

The sophisticated look was also applied to the interior; out went the rearward-facing pair of seats, but the limo-esque ambience was preserved by two newly installed cabinets containing a minibar, refrigerator, desk and file-holder. The rear bench was swapped for a pair of armchairs and, in keeping with the classical overtures, the velour upholstery was replaced by leather and briarwood, while a TV and radiophone provided touches of modernity. Reappearing in Medici II form at the 1976 Paris Motor Show, the car met a decidedly warm reception, in contrast to its previous experience in Turin.

After the show, the Medici II made its way into the Louwman Museum (where it resides to this day), but not before lending several of its styling cues to the 1977 Turin Motor Show Quattroporte III concept car, and subsequent production version. The third Quattroporte model was evidently more successful than its flawed forebear, with one example put into presidential service: thus verifying its ‘businessman’s Maserati’ status.

Despite its ungainly appearance initially blemishing Giugiaro’s portfolio, the revised Medici is ultimately a rare insight into the determination of a character so talented. Itself going on to inspire one of the principle super-saloons, the Medici II can perhaps trace its offshoots not only to the modern Quattroporte, but also the Rapides, Panameras and CLS AMGs its grandchild does battle with. Meanwhile, its assiduous creator – deservedly awarded Car Designer of Century in 1999 – now has the opportunity to enjoy retirement. That’s not to say that he’ll take that opportunity, of course.


Первоначальный вариант Maserati Medici вызывал большие нарекания из-за своей тесноты - автомобиль был разработан шестиместным и создателям не удалось обеспечить достаточный уровень комфорта для автомобиля его класса. По этому Джуджаро доработал конструкцию, и в 1976-м году, на Парижском автосалоне был представлен концепт-кар Maserati Medici II, основным отличием которого стала сокращение количества пассажиров до 4-х человек.

Автомобили Medici в серию не пошли, однако не смотря на это, ряд конструктивных решений был использован при создании других автомобилей - "Maserati Quattroporte III" и "DeLorean DMC-12"
Quelle: Joe Breeze - www.classicdriver.com
Designschmiede: ItalDesign
1968 Alfa Romeo 33 Iguana (ItalDesign), 1968 Bizzarrini Manta (ItalDesign), 1969 Abarth 1600 (ItalDesign), 1970 Porsche Tapiro (ItalDesign), 1971 Alfa Romeo Caimano (ItalDesign), 1971 Volkswagen Karmann Cheetah (ItalDesign), 1972 Lotus Esprit (ItalDesign), 1972 Maserati Boomerang (ItalDesign), 1973 Audi Karmann Asso di Picche (ItalDesign), 1974 Hyundai Pony Coupe (ItalDesign), 1974 ItalDesign Medici 1, 1974 Maserati Coupe (ItalDesign), 1976 Alfa Romeo New York Taxi (ItalDesign), 1976 BMW Karmann Asso di Quadri (ItalDesign), 1976 ItalDesign Medici 2, 1977 BMW M1 (ItalDesign), 1978 ItalDesign M8, 1978 Lancia Megagamma (ItalDesign), 1979 Isuzu Asso di Fiori (ItalDesign), 1980 Fiat Panda 4x4 Offroader/Strip (ItalDesign), 1980 Lancia Medusa (ItalDesign), 1981 DeLorean DMC 12 (ItalDesign), 1982 ItalDesign Capsula, 1982 Lamborghini Marco Polo (ItalDesign), 1982 Lancia Orca (ItalDesign), 1983 Renault Gabbiano (ItalDesign), 1984 Ford Maya (ItalDesign), 1984 ItalDesign Marlin, 1984 ItalDesign Together, 1984 Lotus Etna (ItalDesign), 1984 Saab 9000 (ItalDesign), 1985 Ford Maya II EM (ItalDesign), 1985 Ford Maya II ES (ItalDesign), 1986 ItalDesign Machimoto, 1986 ItalDesign Orbit, 1986 Oldsmobile Incas (ItalDesign), 1988 ItalDesign Asgard, 1988 ItalDesign Aspid, 1988 ItalDesign Aztec, 1989 Seat Proto T (ItalDesign), 1989 Subaru SVX (ItalDesign), 1990 Bugatti ID 90 (ItalDesign), 1990 Jaguar Kensington (ItalDesign), 1990 Seat Proto C (ItalDesign), 1990 Seat Proto TL (ItalDesign), 1991 BMW Nazca C2 (ItalDesign), 1991 BMW Nazca M12 (ItalDesign), 1992 BMW Columbus (ItalDesign), 1992 Fiat Cinquecento (ItalDesign), 1992 ItalDesign Biga, 1993 BMW Nazca C2 Spider (ItalDesign), 1993 Bugatti EB 112 (ItalDesign), 1993 ItalDesign Lucciola, 1994 Fiat Firepoint (ItalDesign), 1994 Lexus Landau (ItalDesign), 1995 Daewoo Bucrane (ItalDesign), 1995 Lamborghini Cala (ItalDesign), 1996 ItalDesign Formula 4, 1996 ItalDesign Formula Hammer, 1996 ItalDesign Formula Legram, 1997 Alfa Romeo Scighera (ItalDesign), 1997 Alfa Romeo Scighera GT (ItalDesign), 1997 Volkswagen W12 Syncro (ItalDesign), 1998 Bugatti EB 118 (ItalDesign), 1998 ItalDesign Structura, 1998 Volkswagen W12 Roadster (ItalDesign), 1999 Bugatti EB 18/3 Chiron (ItalDesign), 1999 Bugatti EB 218 (ItalDesign), 2000 ItalDesign Touareg, 2000 Maserati Buran (ItalDesign), 2000 Seat Salsa (ItalDesign), 2001 Aston Martin 2020 (ItalDesign), 2001 Maserati 320S (ItalDesign), 2001 Volkswagen W12 Coupe Nardo (ItalDesign), 2002 Alfa Romeo Brera Concept (ItalDesign), 2002 Volkswagen Tarek Concept (ItalDesign), 2003 ItalDesign Moray, 2003 Maserati Kubang GT Wagon (ItalDesign), 2004 Alfa Romeo Visconti (ItalDesign), 2004 Toyota Alessandro Volta (ItalDesign), 2005 Alfa Romeo 159 (ItalDesign), 2005 Ferrari GG50 (ItalDesign), 2005 Mitsubishi Nessie (ItalDesign), 2006 Ford Mustang (ItalDesign), 2007 ItalDesign VAD.HO, 2008 ItalDesign Quaranta, 2008 SsangYong C200 (ItalDesign), 2009 ItalDesign Frazer-Nash Namir, 2010 Proton EMAS (ItalDesign), 2011 Volkswagen Gо! (ItalDesign), 2011 Volkswagen Tex (ItalDesign), 2011 Volkswagen Up! Azzurra Sailing Team (ItalDesign), 2012 ItalDesign Brivido, 2013 Audi Nanuk quattro (ItalDesign), 2013 ItalDesign Parcour, 2014 ItalDesign Clipper, 2015 ItalDesign GEA, 2016 ItalDesign GTZero, 2018 ItalDesign Zerouno Duerta, 2019 ItalDesign DaVinci, 2020 Nissan GT-R50 (ItalDesign), 2020 Voyah i-Land (ItalDesign), 2022 DeLorean Alpha5 (ItalDesign), 2022 Deus Vayanne (ItalDesign), 2023 ItalDesign Asso di Picche In Movimento, 2023 ItalDesign Climb-E, 2024 ItalDesign Quintessenza
Diskutieren
Autor
E-mail
Kommentieren