Marcelo Gandini, the so-called “Gaudi” of cars, has left us forever. Possibly the most prolific designer in history within the automotive world who, along with Giorgetto Giugiaro and Leonardo Fioravantitogether with the other Italian motorcycle genius, Massimo Tamburini, represented a before and after in the automotive sector.
TO Gandini We owe him designs as iconic as those of the Lamborghini Miura, Countach or Diablo. He is also the father of Lancia Stratos, Fiat X 1/9 either Bugatti EB110, and from his strokes came others like the well-known ones Citroën BX or Renault Supercinco.
Furthermore, he was one of the greatest representatives of the well-known “Wedge Design” (wedge design), from which prototypes as spectacular as the Alfa Romeo Carabo or the stratospheric Cizeta Moroder V16T. In short, dream cars that once appeared on our bedroom wall in the form of a poster.
Somehow, Gandini, like Tamburini in the world of two wheels, was a “dream maker.” Among other things because they lived in the golden age of the motor, where privileged minds, like theirs, had free rein to give free rein to their imagination.
Marcelo Gandini in the world of motorcycles
In fact, Gandini He also made his first steps in this motorcycle business. Thanks to his collaborations with the Tomaso Group, the Turin genius had the opportunity to do his part in such emblematic designs as the 1971 Moto Guzzi V7 Sport, the work of Silly Linen and in which Gandini collaborated in the design.
His authorship is also the Lambretta/Innocenti Lui. Manufactured by the latter from March 1968 to June 1969, it would also be marketed in some countries under the commercial name “Moon”(50 cc version), “Vega” (in “75 S” version) and “Kite” (in the “75 SL” variant).
Finally we have the Fantic Sprinter, of which only a handful of examples were manufactured between 1983 and 1984. In addition, the brand marketed it in two different variants, with automatic and gearboxes, under the acronym FM 286 and FM 284 respectively. Both equipped with Minarelli mechanics of 3.3 and 2.5 HP of power.
Apart from this technical difference, the rest of the set shared all of its components. Central spine-type tubular chassis, tilting engine, drum brakes or conventional suspensions, with double lateral rear shock absorbers, were part of its configuration.
At 64 kilos in running order, the Sprinter became a light and versatile toy on the asphalt. On the other hand, Fantic provided it with Grimeca tires measuring 1.5×17″, shod with 2.75″ tires and two Offroad-cut fenders, which contributed to that sought-after aesthetic of a do-it-all motorcycle, although its operating range did not reach that of continuous use on roads.
They were barely marketed 2,500 copies in total of the model1,500 of the automatic version, and another 1,000 of the three-speed variant, so it is currently a rare bird, after more than 40 years since it was launched on the market.
