Marcello Gandini's list of achievements includes the Lamborghini Miura and Countach, as well as the Lancia Stratos. Now, rumor has it that he's working on a new project, a top-secet car with composite bodywork.
However, according to AutoX (via Indian Autos Blog) it's not a supercar. It's a Tata city car.
This wouldn't be the first time Gandini turned his talents to a more proletarian vehicle--he also designed the Citroen BX and Renault 5 "Supercinq" compacts--but something about this car is a little suspect.
As noted on Green Car Reports, the image of Gandini pointing out a detail on the car's front bumper looks like it was Photoshopped. It would be very difficult for any person with normal arms to casually reach across the hood of a car--even a small city car--like Gandini is in the photo, and impossible to do it without casting a reflection in the car's bright bodywork.
Top-secret Tata composite car styled by Marcello Gandini?
The car itself looks like someone transposed Countach design elements onto a Tata Nano. That low roofline doesn't offer much outward visibility even without part of a rear spoiler jutting down the sides, and those small doors will make getting in and out challenging, unless they open vertically.
All great myths have a glimmer of truth though. Tata is reportedly developing a composite car; the company believes it will cost less, require fewer body molds, and weigh 20 percent less than a steel-bodied car. A production version could be powered by a 1.0-liter supercharged engine.
Whether that car will look like the one depicted here, or whether Marcello Gandini had any involvement in its design, remains to be seen.
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