In this exclusive interview, Andreas Scheidl sits down with Michael Robinson, former Design Director at Bertone, to discuss the fascinating story behind the creation of the Alfa Romeo Pandion. This concept car, unveiled in 2010 to celebrate Alfa Romeo’s centenary, became an iconic blend of cutting-edge technology, bold design, and artistic innovation. Robinson shares the challenges of designing a groundbreaking prototype in just four months, the inspirations behind its unique features, and how the Pandion marked a pivotal moment in his career and for Bertone. This is the untold story of how one of the most daring concept cars of the 21st century came to life.
The Alfa Romeo Centenary
In 2009, Bertone was in a very challenging position: there were no projects, no active design team, nothing. The priority was to find an opportunity to restart creativity and the company itself. So, I decided to call a friend, Sergio Cravero, who was then the CEO of Alfa Romeo. It was early October 2009.
I said, “Hey Sergio, how’s it going?” Without hesitation, he replied, “Mike, we’d love for Bertone to design a car to celebrate Alfa Romeo’s centenary.” I was thrilled and immediately responded, “Fantastic! When would you like it?” His answer, however, left me stunned: “For the Geneva Motor Show.”
Geneva was in March, just four months away. I thought it was impossible. When I was director of the Lancia design center, it took us 24 months to develop the Dialogos concept car. I replied, “We can’t do it; four months is far too short for a prototype of this significance.” But the head of the workshop calmly reassured me: “Don’t worry, we’ll make it happen.”
I accepted the challenge and returned to the office to announce the news to the team: “We have an incredible project ahead of us! But there’s one rule: no drawing cars right away. First, we must research.”
The Importance of Research
I wanted my 30 designers to understand the essence of Alfa Romeo: what made its cars iconic, what defined a sports car, and how to envision the future of the brand. Only after this in-depth study could we start designing. This approach allowed us to create something truly original, untainted by preconceived ideas.
One of the tools that inspired us was the use of algorithms. Architects use them to simulate natural growth patterns, such as how plants grow or how trees form. We applied the same concept: we would run the algorithm, analyze the results, and select the most interesting solutions. This method, which today we might call artificial intelligence, was something we were already experimenting with over 15 years ago.
The Pandion’s Aesthetic: A Design Inspired by Nature
For the Pandion’s exterior, we drew inspiration from quartz, creating sharp, razor-like growths and a futuristic, edgy design. For the interior, we turned to the roots of trees, generating organic, almost random shapes that were not dictated by human designers.
The rear of the car, with its intricate lattice of elements, was so complex that it would have been impossible to produce using traditional molding techniques. It was pure sculpture, an unrestrained expression of design.
A Visionary Illuminated Interior
Another unique innovation of the Pandion was its illuminated interior. The seats were made of three layers: a sheet of carbon fiber, an illuminable fabric layer, and a gel layer, with a total thickness of just three centimeters. When the lights were turned on, the cabin glowed in a brilliant, hypnotic pool-blue hue. Amazingly, the film Avatar; which shared a similar aesthetic; came out a year later, but the color felt like a perfect anticipation of its world.
“Transformer” Doors
One of the most spectacular features of the Pandion was its doors. To draw attention at the Geneva Motor Show, we designed a full side-opening system, with doors that extended 3.6 meters high. This meant that, even from a distance, anyone could spot Bertone’s stand simply by seeing those towering open doors.
To make this happen, a complex mechanism was needed: the rear panel had to slide backward to allow the doors to open, which then moved downward in a smooth, robotic motion, reminiscent of Transformers. The workshop engineers, who had worked on the legendary Countach doors, made this extraordinary innovation a reality.
A Special Project
The Pandion was a one-of-a-kind project, full of challenges and innovations. For me, it remains the most exciting car of my career; not only for its design but because it was my first prototype for Bertone and marked the company’s return to the Geneva Motor Show after a two-year absence.
It will always hold a special place in my professional journey and will remain an unforgettable example of the creativity and teamwork that defined that experience.
