This is a rarity: an American car designer working, and working successfully, for an Italian auto design company. And then building on that success by moving from noted design house, to another.
The American in question is Jason Castriota, and his first Italian design house job started at the very top: Pininfarina. The king of the World’s design studios. When your company counts Ferrari as one of its main, and lifelong clients, you’re at the top. While at Carrozziera Pininfarina, Castriota worked on some very impressive projects. The Maserati Birdcage show car as well as the Maserati GranTurismo, Ferrari’s 599 GTB Fiorano, the custom P4/5 and the Rolls-Royce Hyperion one-off, to name a few.
He had planned to open his own studio, but a funny thing happened on the way to the atelier, Bertone snatched him up.
How did House Bertone land him? They “made me an offer I couldn’t refuse”, said Jason Castriota (gotta love this kid).
At only 34, it will be Castriota’s job to lead Bertone into newer, and more lucrative directions. Now is the time, and the perfect opportunity for a talent such as his. He will lead a young design staff, and Bertone, after narrowly dodging bankruptcy, has a lot to prove, both on the show floor, and on the bottom line. Of late, Bertone is, how would I put this, a little on the, eh, barboso side of things. They had taken that folded paper concept about as far as they could (some would say too far) and for quite some time, a lot of their offerings at the Turin show were lackluster.
But now … well, a new and gifted talent at the helm, a young crew on decks, and an old, respected company with something to prove.
Interesting times for all of us.
Source: AutoBlog
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