Tom Tjaarda
American car designer
Biography
Lists
Also Viewed
The basics
Quick Facts
| Intro | American car designer | ||
| Places | United States of America | ||
| was | Designer Automotive designer | ||
| Work field | Arts Creativity Engineering | ||
| Gender |
| ||
| Birth | 23 July 1934, Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan, U.S.A. | ||
| Death | 1 June 2017 (aged 82 years) | ||
| Family |
|
The details
Biography
Tom Tjaarda (July 23, 1934 – June 1, 2017) was an automobile designer noted for his work on more than eighty automobiles, a broad range spanning from exotic sports cars including the Ferrari 365 GT California, De Tomaso Pantera and Aston Martin Lagonda Coupé — to high volume popular cars including the first generation Ford Fiesta (1972) and the Fiat 124 Spider (1966).
Jalopnik called Tjaarda "one of the defining automotive designers of the 20th century." Noted automotive designer and journalist Robert Cumberford called Tjaarda "one of the world’s most accomplished Italian car designers." Car Design News called him "one of the great unsung heroes of the car design world."
For his body of work, Tjaarda was honored at the 1997 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance as well as the 1997 Concorso Italiano.
Background
Born in Detroit, Tjaarda was the son of Irene Tjaarda and Dutch-American auto designer John Tjaarda (born Joop Tjaarda van Starkenburg, 1897–1962), designer of the 1935 Lincoln Zephyr.
Tjaarda's parents divorced in 1939 and he lived with his mother in Detroit. Tjaarda studied high school in Birmingham High School, Birmingham, Michigan (1953 renamed to Seaholm High School).
Career
Tjaada studied Architecture at the University of Michigan and presented an automobile (a sport station wagon) rather than building design for his senior thesis — winning an internship at Carrozzeria Ghia, the renowned Italian design house. In 1958, he moved to Turin, Italy, where his career began and where he continued to live and work.
Tjaarda started his career at Ghia with the Innocenti 950.
In 1961, at Pininfarina, Tjaardda worked on cars including the Chevrolet Corvette Rondine, the Ferrari 330GT 2+2, the Fiat 124 Spider, and the Ferrari 365 California.
He later returned to Ghia, where he designed the Isuzu Bellett MX1600, the De Tomaso Pantera, and the De Tomaso Longchamp.
In 1981, Tom was appointed as Director of Fiat Advanced Studios. In 1984, he started his own independent design firm, Dimensione Design.
Design portfolio
Innocenti 950 S Ghia Spider 950
1963 Corvette Rondine
1972 DeTomaso Pantera and Liv Lindeland
De Tomaso Pantera Cortina
Fiat 124 Spider, 1,4 l, Bj. 1970 (2016-07-02 Sp)
1974 Ford Maverick (23803130741)
1978 Ford Fiesta L MKI (6860866078)
1993 Saab 900 (TU5M) Turbo 5-door hatchback (2015-06-18) 01
Qvale Mangusta (Foto Alice) 2010-05-22 bearb
- 1959. Ghia Selene I (with Sergio Sartorelli)
- 1960. Innocenti 950 S Ghia Spider
- 1960. (Innocenti) Ghia IXG Dragster
- 1960. Renault Dauphine Ghia Coupé
- 1960. VW Karmann Ghia 1500 (type 34) Coupé (rear design; main body design by Sergio Sartorelli)
- 1961. Ferbedo Automobilina pedal car (Ghia)
- 1961. Ghia Cart
- 1961. Innocenti 1100 Ghia Coupé
- 1962. Chevrolet Corvair Pininfarina Coupé (I)
- 1963. Chevrolet Corvette Rondine Pininfarina Coupé (I)
- 1963. Fiat 2300 Pininfarina
- 1963. Lancia Flaminia 2.8 Pininfarina Coupé Speciale
- 1964. Chevrolet Corvette Rondine Pininfarina Coupé (II)
- 1964. Ferrari 330 GT 2+2 Pininfarina series 1
- 1964. Mercedes 230 SL Pininfarina Coupé
- 1965. Fiat 124 Spider Pininfarina
- 1966. Ferrari 365 GT California
- 1968. Chevrolet Checker Berlina (with Giorgetto Giugiaro)
- 1968. Serenissima Coupé (Ghia)
- 1969. De Tomaso Mustela (I) (Ghia)
- 1969. Isuzu Bellett MX1600 GT (Ghia)
- 1969. Lancia Flamina Marica (Ghia)
- 1969. Lancia Fulvia 1600 HF Competizione (Ghia)
- 1970. De Tomaso Deauville (Ghia)
- 1970. De Tomaso Pantera Ghia
- 1970. (Lancia Flavia) Giacobbi Sinthesis 2000
- 1970. Williams De Tomaso-Ford (Cosworth) 505/38 (De Tomaso Formula 1)
- 1971. All-Cars AutoZodiaco Damaca
- 1971. De Tomaso 1600 (Ghia) Spider
- 1971. De Tomaso Zonda (Ghia)
- 1971. Isuzu Bellett SportsWagon (Ghia)
- 1972. De Tomaso Longchamp
- 1972. De Tomaso Pantera L (Ghia)
- 1972. De Tomaso Pantera 290 (Ghia)
- 1972. De Tomaso Pantera GT4 (Ghia)
- 1972. Ford Fiesta (Ghia, Project "Wolf")
- 1973. De Tomaso/Ford Pantera 7X (Ghia)
- 1973. De Tomaso Monttella 1/1 197X
- 1973. Ford Mustela (II) (Ghia)
- 1974. Ford Ghia Coins
- 1974. Ford Maverick
- 1978. Lancia Y10
- 1979. Fiat Brazil
- 1979. Ford Mustang II Proposals (Ghia) (different variants)
- 1979. Zastava (facelifts of older Fiat-based models for Yugoslavia)
- 1980. De Tomaso Longchamp Cabrio
- 1981. SEAT Ronda
- 1981. SEAT Guappa Coupé
- 1982. Chrysler LeBaron
- 1982. Chrysler Imperial
- 1983. Rayton-Fissore Taxi Torino
- 1985. Chrysler Jeep (Interior)
- 1985. Rayton-Fissore Magnum 4x4
- 1989. Aston Martin Lagonda Coupé
- 1988. PPG 4x4 (USA)
- 1989. Laforza Magnum 4x4
- 1989. Zastava Utility vehicle
- 1991. Bitter Tasco
- 1992. Saab 900 four door
- 1992. Suzuki Coupé (for Bugatti)
- 1993. Fiat Iveco Truck Interior
- 1995. Lamborghini Diablo (Interior)
- 1998. Isotta-Fraschini T8 Coupé
- 1998. Isotta-Fraschini T12 Coupé
- 2000. Qvale Mangusta (II)
- 2001. Laforza PSV (II) (production engineering only)
- 2002. Spyker GT Sport
- 2003. Fiat Barchetta (Facelift)
- 2006. Shelby Series 2
- 2007. Tjaarda Mustang