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The 2005 Ferrari GG50 by ItalDesign was a deeply personal project for Giorgetto Giugiaro, marking his 50th anniversary in automotive design. Despite designing over 200 production models and concepts, including many industry icons, a Ferrari had remained out of his reach—until now. With the backing of Piero Ferrari, Giugiaro finally got his chance to put his own touch on a car from Maranello.
The base model for the project was the Ferrari 612 Scaglietti, chosen by Luca di Montezemolo, who set two key conditions: preserving Ferrari's identity while also shortening the car’s overall length. Giugiaro embraced the challenge, transforming the Scaglietti into a fastback with a third door, adding functionality without compromising its elegance. By reshaping the fuel tank, he achieved a flat boot floor and increased cargo space despite the car being 90mm shorter than the original. With the rear seats folded, luggage capacity more than doubled to 500 liters, making the GG50 more practical than the standard 612.
The GG50 debuted at Makuhari Messe, rather than Ferrari's official stand, yet it still drew intense attention from journalists and competitors. The car’s red exterior, a departure from Giugiaro’s usual silver-gray, was a personal choice, despite Montezemolo questioning the color selection. While Pininfarina traditionally shaped Ferrari’s designs, Giugiaro simply wanted to show an alternative vision, proving that even a grand tourer could blend beauty and practicality.
Unlike most concept cars, the GG50 was not created for Ferrari or for public sale—it was built for Giugiaro himself. It remained a one-off, driven regularly by its creator, showcasing his refined sense of proportion and design excellence. Compared to the somewhat awkward-looking 612 Scaglietti, the GG50’s sleeker lines and tightened proportions highlighted Giugiaro’s mastery, making one wonder how ItalDesign got it so right, while Pininfarina missed the mark. This unique Ferrari stood as a testament to Giugiaro’s incredible career—a dream realized, on his own terms.
