Mario Revelli di Beaumont

Mario Revelli di Beaumont was born in Rome on June 25, 1907, into a noble Piedmontese family. His father, Abiel, was an army officer and inventor of automatic weapons, a role that inspired Mario’s early interest in mechanics. In 1922, he attended the Royal Military College of the Nunziatella in Naples and began designing motorcycle frames, spurred on by his brother Gino, who ran a thriving motorcycle workshop in Turin.

In 1924, Mario and Gino built the GR 500, a race motorcycle equipped with a 499cc Jap engine. With this machine, Mario won the Italian Gentleman Championship in 1924 and the Nations Grand Prix in 1925, earning the title of European Champion. Nicknamed the “Adolescent Champion” by the press, he became a rising star in motorsport. His racing career, however, ended abruptly in 1927 after a serious road accident in Turin.

In 1928, Mario began working at Stabilimenti Farina in Turin, contributing to custom bodies for Isotta Fraschini and Fiat chassis. He later collaborated with other renowned coachbuilders like Ghia, Garavini, and Casaro. In 1929, he joined Fiat’s Special Bodywork Section, focusing on luxury and sports models while developing innovative concepts like monovolume vehicles. His designs for Fiat, including the spider version of the 508 Sport, earned him a reputation as a master of aerodynamic and flamboyant lines, which shaped the era’s automotive aesthetics.

During the 1930s, he maintained collaborations with Pininfarina, Viotti, and Bertone. His influence reached its peak with creations like the Alfa Romeo EIAR mobile radio station and various experimental electric vehicles. During World War II, he contributed to military vehicle designs and was briefly imprisoned by the occupying German forces, suspected of loyalty to the monarchy. He was later freed by partisans.

After the war, Revelli returned to designing cars, including the Fiat 1100 Viotti Giardinetta, which pioneered the modern Italian station wagon. His work during this period exemplified practicality fused with elegance, earning widespread acclaim.

In the 1950s, Mario worked in the United States, contributing to General Motors projects and advancing compact car designs. Returning to Europe, he collaborated with SIMCA, notably on the Simca 1000 and 1300 models, and with Aermacchi on the innovative Chimera motorcycle.

Later in life, Revelli focused on teaching and consultancy, sharing his expertise with design schools in Turin and Pasadena. Over his career, he registered more than 50 industrial patents, including groundbreaking features like retractable headlights, centralized locking, and elastic bumpers.

Mario Revelli di Beaumont passed away on May 29, 1985, leaving behind a legacy of innovation and elegance in automotive design.