Luciano D'Ambrosio

Luciano d’Ambrosio is a distinguished Italian automotive designer, with a rich and varied career that spans several decades. Born in Italy, d’Ambrosio began his career at Ford Werke in Cologne during the early 1980s, where he worked alongside celebrated designers like Patrick Le Quément and Uwe Bahnsen. During his time at Ford, he was involved in key projects such as the development of the Escort, Fiesta, the “jellymould” Sierra, and the Scorpio. This period was formative for d’Ambrosio, where he experienced the exciting and innovative environment of a design team that was pushing boundaries and creating truly forward-thinking cars.

In the mid-1980s, d’Ambrosio joined ItalDesign, a move that marked a pivotal shift in his career. Here, he worked closely with Giorgetto Giugiaro, learning the intricate balance between automotive styling and engineering. At ItalDesign, he developed a deep understanding of how to combine aesthetics with technical requirements, which would influence much of his later work.

In the 1990s, d’Ambrosio took on the role of Design Director at Carrozzeria Bertone, where he played a crucial role in creating several key automotive designs. Notable among these was the Porsche Karisma (1994), as well as the Alfa Romeo Bella (1999), which was one of the first cars to feature extremely thin LED headlamps. His time at Bertone allowed him to push the envelope in design, offering innovative solutions such as platform-sharing for coupés and cabriolets, which culminated in the production of the successful Astra Cabrio and Coupé models for Opel.

In 2000, d’Ambrosio founded his own design studio, LDA Design, based in Grugliasco. Alongside establishing LDA Design, he worked with Honda’s Segno Milano design studio in Milan, which was funded by Honda to explore non-automotive design influences from the fashionable city. Later, in 2005, d’Ambrosio became involved in the development of Chang An’s design studio in Turin, where he contributed as a consultant and helped establish the studio’s foundation.

LDA Design serves as a consultancy firm, developing design concepts for various automotive and motorcycle manufacturers. The studio specializes in project management for body development, market analysis, and offers engineering services. Through partnerships with external companies, LDA is also capable of producing models and prototypes. D’Ambrosio’s vast experience in both mainstream and luxury automotive design, combined with his ability to think outside the box, has made LDA Design a key player in the global automotive industry.