AUTONEWS

Bruno Sacco, the Italian designer who revolutionised the shape of Mercedes

Bruno Sacco, the Italian designer who designed some of the most iconic Mercedes models during his 41 years with the German manufacturer, has died at the age of 90. Born in 1933 in Italy, he graduated from the Polytechnic University of Turin and his first job was at Ghia, where he dedicated himself to futuristic aircraft and elegant automobiles.

In 1958 he joined Mercedes as second designer and was responsible for designing two of the most important models of the time, respectively the Mercedes-Benz 600 (W100), known as the Grosser Mercedes, and the coupé/cabriolet W113, popularly known as the Pagoda, both launched in 1963. Sacco also proved that he was just as comfortable designing futuristic prototypes as he was designing everyday vehicles, which many drivers needed. Hence, in 1970, he designed the irreverent C111 coupé, of which only 16 units were built, and five years later the W123 came off his drawing board, one of the brand's best-selling models at a time when it was not yet called the E-Class. In 1982, the designer created the Mercedes 190, the W201, which served as the basis for the sporty 190E 2.3 16V.

But Bruno Sacco has always shown a soft spot for top-of-the-range vehicles, regardless of their shape or number of seats. The proof is in the W126, the second generation of the S-Class, but the first to be accepted as the best luxury saloon on the market, launched in 1979 and which reached its peak in the SEL 560. Although the W126 saloon was unbeatable at the time, it is likely that for many drivers the coupé version (C126) was even more revered. The 380 SEC and 500 SEC combined luxury and refinement with impressive power and agility, making the C126 a benchmark among two-door, four-seater coupés. But luxury wasn’t the only thing that fueled Sacco’s creativity, and in 1988 he designed the SL, known internally as the R129. Available in both closed and convertible body styles, it was for many years considered Mercedes’ sportiest and most elegant model, a “gift” that Sacco left to the German brand, from which he retired in 1999 at the age of 66.

Mercedes has shared the news of the death of Bruno Sacco, who passed away at his home in Sindelfingen, a short distance from the design centre of the brand he founded. In addition to the dark blue SEC 560 that he took with him on the day he announced his retirement, Sacco declared, at the time of his departure, that “Mercedes was my life and I defend everything we did during all those years 100%”.

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