Giovanni Savonuzzi

Giovanni Savonuzzi (Ferrara 28 January 1911 –– Ferrara 18 February 1988) was an Italian automobile designer.

He got a degree in Mechanical engineering from Politecnico di Torino in 1939 and worked for Fiat Aviazione and taught in Aeronautics at the politecnico. During World War II he served in Albania. In August 1945 he succeeded Dante Giacosa as technical director of the Cisitalia carmaker, first completing Giacosa's Cisitalia D46 cigarshaped racing car. Before he left for in 1948 due to a disagreement, he had sketched out the Spider Nuvolari and the 202 CMM Aerodinamica Savonuzzi (to be built by Pininfarina).

He designed the SVA Midget racer while with Società Valdostano Automotori (SVA) 1948–49, lectured at politecnico and had some freelance work, including for Cisitalia in 1951 under Carlo Dusio, leading to a short collaboration with Ford led to his chassis design for the 808X prototype.

He was technical director for Carrozzeria Ghia under Luigi Segre from 1953 to 1957, developing the "Supersonic" series. It was inspired by gas turbines and a result of his access to wind tunnels at the politecnico. He applied this to Fiat 8V (14 chassises), Alfa Romeo 1900, DeSoto Adventurer II, the Ghia "Gilda" (named after Rita Hayworth),Jaguar XK120 (three chassises), Aston Martin DB2/4, a Ferrari 410 Gilda Superamerica.

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