Legendary car designer weighs in on Tesla’s controversial Cybertruck: ‘It certainly has its admirers’

Designer Giorgetto Giugiaro is responsible for some of the most iconic car designs in automotive history — and he’s weighed in on Tesla’s Cybertruck.

The Cybertruck’s boxy, angular design has become divisive, inspiring passion from some Tesla fans and hatred from more skeptical observers.

Giugiaro, who was named the Car Designer of the Century in 1999 and created the look of the DMC DeLorean and the Volkswagen Golf/Rabbit, encourages the public to approach the Cybertruck with an open mind.

“When you step outside the norms, it’s almost always seen as a provocation,” Giugiaro said to NPR. “It happens in all fields, from furniture to cooking, etc. Everyone wants to distinguish themselves; it’s a market necessity, and the Cybertruck will surely be successful, I’m sure of it. I’m convinced it will find its admirers.”

As the Cybertruck finally hits streets around the United States, videos of the electric truck have gone viral, showing off its interior, its offroading capacity, and its acceleration capabilities.

“I don’t want to judge the Cybertruck as beautiful or ugly. It certainly has its admirers who want a vehicle to stand out,” Giugiaro said. That’s not necessarily a glowing endorsement but a measured, nuanced response.

According to TheStreet, Tesla founder Elon Musk revealed that the Cybertruck was inspired by the 1977 spy film “The Spy Who Loved Me,” which sees James Bond drive a modified Lotus Esprit (which was designed by Giugiaro) into the sea as a submarine. Musk bought the movie vehicle for just under $1 million at a 2013 auction.

The Cybertruck has seen over 2 million pre-orders since it was initially announced in 2019 and is now available to view in many Tesla showrooms around the country.

One investment analyst recently claimed that online interest in the Cybertruck suggests that it could surpass Tesla’s Model Y in sales. “Today, most automakers fund the development and sales of unprofitable EVs with profits from their gas-powered truck sales,” Sam Korus said. “If the Cybertruck were to disrupt that profit center, traditional automakers could end up in trouble.”

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