Paolo Martin is not a man in need of an introduction. His name is etched into the minds of the automotive design cognoscenti besides other legendary designers from the prolific era of the Italian carrozzeria.
Pencil sketches of a few of Paolo Martin’s ‘achievement cars’
Over the span of his career, he’s worked for Michelotti, Bertone, Pininfarina, and De Tomaso while at Ghia. He’s designed concept cars for Ferrari, Fiat, NSU, Nissan and Ford as well as production vehicles for Rolls-Royce, Peugeot, Fiat, Lancia and Stutz.
1970 Pininfarina Ferrari 512S Modulo Concept was one of the significant highlights of Paolo Martin’s career
In 1976 he stepped out on his own, running a design consultancy in his birthplace of Turin where he designed motorcycles for Moto Guzzi, Piaggio and Gilera as well as boats for Cigarette, Ferretti Kraft and Magum Marine. He’s also designed household products, sports gear and bicycles.
The main video above puts this career summary into context — showcasing specific models as part of his ‘achievement cars’ reel — while the three-part video interview below is a candid recount of the steps he took over his long and varied career as a designer.
