Ercole Spada

Ercole Spada was born on August 26, 1937, in Busto Arsizio, Italy. He graduated in 1956 as a mechanical industrial expert from the Feltrinelli Technical Institute in Milan. From a young age, he had a deep passion for cars, which led him to draw them regularly, signing his sketches with the initials “ES.”

A big fan of Zagato cars, Spada reached out to the company after completing his military service. It is said that Elio Zagato asked him two questions: if he could design cars in 1:1 scale and if he had a driver’s license. After confirming both, Spada was hired.

Spada worked at Zagato from 1960 to 1969. His first major work was the 1961 Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato. He then went on to design models such as the Lamborghini 3500 GTZ, Lancia Flavia and Fulvia Sport, Alfa Romeo 2600 SZ, Giulia Tubolare, and Junior Z.

In 1970, Spada left Zagato and joined Ford as a chief designer. He worked on several prototypes, including the Ford GT70. After Ford acquired Ghia in 1973, Spada joined Ghia’s operation. In 1976, he briefly worked at Audi before moving to BMW in 1977. There, he worked with Claus Luthe on the design of the 5 Series, which debuted in 1985, and the 7 Series, which debuted in 1987.

In 1983, Spada returned to Italy and joined the I.DE.A. Institute, where he contributed to the development of various Fiat, Lancia, and Alfa Romeo models, including the Fiat Tipo, Lancia Dedra, Alfa Romeo 155, and the three-door version of the Lancia Delta. He also designed the Ferrari PPG pace car.

In 1993, Spada returned to Zagato and designed the Ferrari F.Z.93. He also participated in the project of the Osca 2500 GT Dromos, which remained a prototype.

Later, Spada became the president of Spadaconcept, the styling and research center for the Italian car manufacturer SVS Spada Vetture Sport. Together with his son Paolo, he designed the SVS Codatronca TS, a sports car that embodies his design philosophy. The name itself pays tribute to the aerodynamic competition bodies used by Zagato and Alfa Romeo on the Giulietta SZ and Giulia TZ.