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When Wedge had the Edge
by Gautam Sen
Click here for sample pages
When the 1968 Paris Motor Show opened a surreal wedge-shaped sculpture of steel, glass, and layers of scaly metal astounded showgoers with its daring shape and extraordinary form. The Alfa Romeo Carabo was an exercise in lateral thinking at just about every level. With headlamps covered by retractable slats and doors that opened, for the first time ever, with a scissor action, the Carabo rewrote the rules of automobile design, kickstarting an avalanche of extreme wedge forms—a trend that remained in vogue for the best part of the next two decades.
A bold departure from traditional automotive design, captivating the imagination with futuristic aesthetics and aerodynamic efficiency, the wedge style represented a paradigm shift in automotive aesthetics, emphasizing sharp lines, low profiles, and angular contours. The wedge shape, characterized by a sharply tapered front end that widens towards the rear, was not merely a stylistic choice but a reflection of advancements in aerodynamics and engineering. By minimizing drag and improving stability at high speeds, these cars demonstrated a commitment to performance and efficiency.
Iconic examples like the Alfa Romeo Carabo, Ferrari Modulo, Lancia Strato's Zero and the Maserati Boomerang, as well as series production cars such as the De Tomaso Pantera, Lamborghini Countach, and the Lotus Esprit, epitomized the wedge design ethos, captivating enthusiasts and shaping perceptions of automotive style for generations to come. Their striking silhouettes became synonymous with speed, power, and innovation.
- A definitive history of the cars from the Wedge Era, with more than 250 cars featured
- Personal quotes and experiences from six of the most important wedge designers
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ISBN:
978-1-956309-18-8
- Page count: 480
- Images and Illustrations: 653
- Page size: 219 x 304mm
- First published: August 2024
Thank you, Auto&Design, for the terrific review
 Auto&Design Dec 2024.png)
Click here or on the image above to be taken to the Auto&Design website for the full review.
Thank you, Classic & Sports Car for the nice review
December 2024
 C&SC Dec 2024.png)
Thank you, Sabu Advani and SpeedReaders.info for the terrific review
October 2024
 SpeedReaders.jpg)
Please click the above image or this link to be taken to SpeedReaders.info for the full review.
Thank you, Jürgen Lewandowski and Classic Trader magazine, for the nice review
October 2024
 Classic Trader mag.jpg)
English translation:
History
The wedge shape only came to the attention of designers late on - but ultimately did not prevail. But it left behind a few spectacular vehicles and made design history. Was it the search for better aerodynamics? Or simply the search for new shapes? The fact is that it entered the public consciousness at the end of the 1960s, after two of the great designers independently ushered in a new era in 1968: Marcello Gandini, who worked for Carrozzeria Bertone, created the Alfa Romeo Carabo, a green insect with scissor doors stretching towards the sky that is still fascinating today, and Giorgetto Giugiaro catapulted his company Italdesign, founded just a few months earlier, into immortality with the Bizzarini Manta.
Other models quickly followed: Lamborghini Miura and Countach, Maserati showed the Boomerang concept car - and later the Khamsin. And Autobianchi surprised everyone in 1969 with the A112 Runabout. An absolute highlight was the Lancia Stratos HF Zero, a claustrophobic insect that delighted the design world on October 28, 1970. Nuccio Bertone never wanted to build the vehicle, which crouched on the ground and was just 84.6 centimeters high, in series production - the HF Zero later gave its name to the Lancia Stratos, which was to dominate the rally world for years. The Triumph TR 7 was then produced in larger numbers, with around 115,000 units built - the best-selling car in its genre.
Of course, many prototypes and show cars were created in the design studios, some of them bizarre, some fascinating - but the design did not prevail on the market: it was a concept for two-seaters. Gautam Sen has dedicated an elaborate volume to these models - as is to be expected from Dalton Watson, it is a lovingly designed and generously illustrated book that should be in every car library. And also deserves a German translation.
Thank you, Nathan Chadwick and Automobilia Resource, for the great review
Issue 37
 Automobilia 37.jpg)
To read the full review, click the image above or this link for a downloadable PDF.
Thank you Octane Germany, for the nice review
 Octane Germany.jpg)
English translation:
For the first time this year, the Pebble Beach Concours had two [classes] for wedge cars - models with a wedge shape. The winners were deservedly the Lancia Stratos HF Zero by Bertone from 1970 and the Aston Martin Bulldog from 1979. Both models have a prominent place in the new opus of the author Gautam Sen, who recently made a name for himself with his two-volume book on Lamborghini, but the Alfa Romeo Carabo takes the cover. This concept study, also designed by Bertone and unveiled in Paris in 1968, embodied the modern wedge shape in its purest form and is considered another masterpiece by the wedge fetishist Marcello Gandini. The volume, designed in the traditional Dalton Watson layout, leaves enough space with large-format photos to be able to view the beauties in detail - the text portion feels like a third. Until Sen specifically addresses the topic of wedge shapes on page 184, he takes the reader on a journey through the history of car design - from Jaray to Kammtails, teardrops and tail fins to models like the Lamborghini Marzel, which already heralded the wedge shape. The book ends with Tesla's Cybertruck and portraits of the great designers Gandini, Giugiaro, Spada, Tjaarda, Towns (Bulldog) and Winterbottom (TVR Tasmin). At the end, the impression remains of how unexciting current car design is compared to that very creative era.
Thank you Classic Cars magazine, for the review
 ClassicCars Nov 24.jpg)
Thank you, Jürgen Lewandowski and Motorworld Bulletin, for the great review
 Motorworld Bulletin No. 180.jpg)
English translation:
THE SHORT TRIUMPH OF THE WEDGE SHAPE
The wedge shape only came to the attention of designers late on, but ultimately did not prevail. But it left behind a few spectacular vehicles and made design history. Was it the search for better aerodynamics? Or simply the search for new shapes? The fact is that it entered the public consciousness at the end of the 1960s, after two of the great designers independently ushered in a new era in 1968: Marcello Gandini, who worked for Carrozzeria Bertone, created the Alfa Romeo Carabo, a green insect with scissor doors stretching towards the sky that is still fascinating today, and Giorgetto Giugiaro catapulted his company Italdesign, founded just a few months earlier, into immortality with the Bizzarini Manta.
Other models quickly followed: Lamborghini Miura and Countach, Maserati showed the Boomerang study - and later the Khamsin. And Autobianchi surprised everyone in 1969 with the A112 Runabout. An absolute highlight remained the Lancia Stratos HF Zero, a claustrophobic insect that delighted the design world on October 28, 1970. Nuccio Bertone never wanted to build the vehicle, which crouched on the ground and was just 84.6 centimeters high, in series - later the HF Zero gave its name to the Lancia Stratos, which was to dominate the rally world for years. The Triumph TR 7 was then produced in larger numbers, around 115,000 units were built - the best-selling car in its genre.
Of course, many prototypes and show cars were created in the design studios, some of them bizarre, some of them fascinating - but the design did not prevail on the market: it was a concept for two-seaters. Gautam Sen has dedicated an elaborate volume to these models - as you would expect from Dalton Watson, it is a lovingly designed and generously illustrated book that should be in every car library. And also deserves a German translation.
Thank you, Nathan Chadwick and Magneto Magazine, for the great review
 Magneto Sept 2024.jpg)
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Author Biography
As a frequent concours judge, author and design consultant, as well as a co-conspirator with prominent designers such as Marcello Gandini, Tom Tjaarda, and Gérard Godfroy on several vehicle projects, Gautam Sen has been the founder or editor of several Indian automotive magazines, establishing the country’s first car magazine in 1986. Since 2015, a Vice President with FIVA, Sen has authored several award-winning books: Marcello Gandini: Maestro of Design, Ballot, The Bertone Collection, Tom Tjaarda: Master of Proportions, Lamborghini: At the Cutting Edge of Design, Bugatti: The Italian Decade, and Alfa Romeo SZ Coda Tronca: The Art of Conservation (all by Dalton Watson Fine Books) and others.
Gautam Sen is resident in Paris, France with his family.
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