Matteo Gentile has had a distinguished career as an automotive designer, specializing in exterior design. He is recognized as a holistic designer, demonstrating skills in various areas, such as artistic drawing, sketching, 3D modelling and visualization. His skills are enhanced by exceptional team-working abilities, acquired over many years of international work experience. Before joining Touring Superleggera, Matteo worked for SEAT, Bugatti, Lamborghini and Lotus.
Matteo approaches his projects by continually questioning himself, guided by a deep understanding of the history of automotive design. His designs not only respond to the contemporary challenges of the automotive industry, but also anticipate future changes in the global market. Markus Tellenbach, CEO of Touring Superleggera, said: ‘I am delighted to have Matteo Gentile on board, as he is an extraordinarily talented designer. Under his leadership, the Touring-Design team will create remarkable design innovations, reflecting the company’s commitment to pushing further the boundaries of automotive design and continuing the legacy of excellence.
In this interview with Gentlemen Drivers magazine, Matteo Gentile recounts his brilliant design career, with creations that have left their mark on modern automotive history.
Discovering the captivating story in PDF
At what age did you develop a passion for cars?
Growing up in Rome, close to the Motor Valley, I was immersed in a world of design and engines, that became a real source of inspiration during my childhood. I still remember vividly the excitement I felt when I designed my first Fiat Nuova 500, followed by a Fiat Panda. These were my parents’ cars and, as a child, I thought they were the best cars to draw. But as I got older, I began to understand cars better. And from then on, my attention was focused on icons, like the Ferrari F40.
What inspired you to become a car designer?
That’s an excellent question or rather the fundamental question, in reference to Hitchhiker’s guide to the galaxies, because the answer corresponds to what motivates someone to get up every morning and go to work.
I’m lucky enough to have been born during what I consider to be the best era of Italian supercar production. The 80s were an exciting time for the development of Italian luxury brands, with the emergence of the most futuristic and cool designs. You can probably imagine my personal love for the iconic models that are still considered some of the most stunning pieces of automotive history.
Being part of this magnificent world is part of our Italian DNA, and my attraction to cars is particularly focused on aesthetics and design. I discovered that drawing was a gift, a passion and, more prosaically, my life’s mission. As an introverted child, I felt in my element when I was drawing cars. You could say that I’m extremely good at drawing cars. It was a childhood dream, and it remains my life’s goal today.
It’s by concentrating on design that I find my full expression. It’s in drawing that I really feel my heart and my thoughts so perfectly aligned. It’s for these moments that I live. It’s the engine that fuels my days….
What was your first car?
I remember my first car was a Fiat 600. It was a good car for going to university and going out with my friends. However, if you had to ask me what car I would have wanted, it would definitely have been the Lancia Stratos.
How did the 3D sketch influence your design process?
It may sound complex, but in reality, it’s a very fluid process. It all starts with a sheet of paper and a pen. I sketch out my ideas, which are then developed using 3D modelling. I’m a big fan of integrating technology into this phase, because it allows you to better visualize the model as it develops in real time. The digital integration of this phase facilitates many time-consuming tasks.
Even if 3D modelling can be considered a standard in our field, its implementation is essential, particularly when it comes to controlling all the geometric aspects and meeting production deadlines.
How do you think designers will use VR in the future?
Technological advances continue to reshape the future of this profession. It’s a continuous learning process to explore new ways of optimizing technology, such as VR (Virtual Reality), to improve the overall execution of a project. Although I’m an eternal romantic when it comes to good old-fashioned pen and paper, our aim is always to keep up to date with the latest technology.
For example, we’re heavily invested in 3D modelling, and, in my design process, we’ve standardized the use of computer-generated images and all forms of digital visualization. Although the integration of VR for automotive design purposes is a continuous learning process, I am in favor of digitalizing and integrating these systems and their capabilities for car design. As I’ve already mentioned, this allows us to optimize time and efficiency, particularly during the design phase.
What made you decide to work for Touring Supperlegera? Was it the realization of a dream?
There’s a lot to do with the brand’s history and heritage, especially as we prepare to celebrate our centenary. As a car designer, I believe that this context, combined with the spirit of design innovation and the constant pursuit of automotive excellence, provides the perfect basis for seeking motivation through challenges and opportunities.
I prefer to set goals, rather than to chase dreams. In my role as head of Touring Superleggera, this skill set is invaluable, because it fosters a mentality within my team, that enables dreams to be turned into results. It’s a soft skill that’s incredibly useful for challenging design projects, but ultimately, it’s a life skill.
What are your current projects?
There are a lot of exciting developments underway. Keep up to date with our progress and you’ll quickly understand the direction we’re taking at Touring Superleggera.
Who is your favorite designer?
Sasha Selipanov, with his incredible ability to mix different working techniques and his unmistakable style, really embodies his cars. Christian Felske, a sketching virtuoso who could even be mistaken for a robot. He was my idol when I started working in Spain, and he still is today. As for Andrey Konopatov, I love his sketching style. His level of skill reaches a level of esotericism in our discipline.
What is your dream classic or modern car?
I have several: the Jaguar XJS in Telesto grey, with satin-finish black wheels and marble leather interiors and brown leather interiors, the Porsche 993 Turbo S in Racing Yellow, with silver wheels and black leather interior, the Ferrari 456 in Blu Notte, with silver wheels and beige leather interior, the Lancia Stratos HF in Zenith livery, magnesium wheels, the Aston Martin DB5 in 007’s iconic configuration, finished in Silver Birch. The list goes on… but with the exception of the DB5, these cars represent my childhood, as you can imagine.
What are your other hobbies?
I only have one passion in life: designing cars.
Biography:
1986: Born in Rome
2007: Degree in transport design from the Faculty of Architecture Ludovico Quaroni La Sapienza, Rome
2008: Master’s degree in automotive design from the Elisava Escuela de Disseny, Barcelona
2015: Designer at Bugatti
2017: Designer at Lamborghini
2022: Senior Designer at Lotus
2023: Head of Design at Touring Superleggera
