How the first seconds of a sketch sets the direction
Andrea Mocellin, Bertone Head of Design, reflects on the Design Essential and his Inspiration.
HOW TO DESIGN AN ICON
Photography by Riocam
Elegant, mysterious, and built to spark curiosity. What is the secret behind designing an iconic car? When you speak with the great Italian masters, they always say that a car should be designed in just a few seconds. If the essence of the car cannot be captured immediately, the process becomes much more difficult.
Andrea, what goes through your mind when you create the very first sketch?
Everything starts with a vision. When the brief arrived to create a timeless Bertone hypercar, the most important moment was imagining the car instantly in my head. If that image is clear, the entire development process remains pure. If it isn’t, every decision becomes a struggle.
How important is instinct in the design process?
For me, instinct is everything. I consider myself an instinctive designer, which comes from my Italian heritage and the influence of the masters I grew up learning from. You have to feel emotionally connected to the project and fight to preserve that emotion throughout development, even when technical requirements try to change the original idea.
What was the key design principle behind the GB110?
We wanted a strong horizontal line that wraps around the entire vehicle. It visually lowers the car, makes it appear wider, and reinforces both performance and aerodynamic efficiency. Every surface was designed to create emotion while remaining functional.
How did carbon fiber influence the design?
Carbon fiber allowed us to create thinner, lighter, and more efficient surfaces. It enabled us to design unique aerodynamic intakes and generate a distinctive visual signature for the car while maintaining the performance expected from a modern hypercar.Do you have a favorite feature on the GB110?
Do you have a favorite feature on the GB110?
Absolutely. The side profile. My teachers were Giugiaro, Gandini, and the great Italian masters. They always taught me that a car must be designed from the side first. If the side profile is correct, everything else will follow naturally.
What color did you imagine when creating the first sketches?
We thought about the Renaissance—the rebirth of the Bertone brand. The ideal color was something between champagne, gold, copper, and silver. A subtle and sophisticated tone that reflects the elegance of the project rather than overwhelming it.
What emotions should the GB110 evoke?
Mystery. Curiosity. The car should reveal more of itself the longer you look at it. It shouldn't be fully understood at first glance. The goal is to create a lasting emotional connection through discovery.
We want cars that a kid can really sketch in a few seconds.
What was your reaction when Bertone chose the twin-turbocharged V10?
I loved it immediately. The engine architecture allowed us to create beautiful proportions and a very powerful stance. More importantly, it enabled us to design a car that feels elegant and powerful at the same time. We didn't want brutality. We wanted timeless performance.
What should people still feel when they see the GB110 ten years from now?
The most important thing is timelessness. I want people to look at the car and be unable to tell exactly when it was designed. If we achieve that feeling, then we have successfully created a true Bertone.
