Gandini Sibilo concept makes surprise appearance at Milan Design Week

Just as the remembrances and assessments of the late Marcello Gandini are starting to subside, one of the master’s most eccentric concept cars made a surprise appearance at Milan Design Week, displayed at the Capsule Design pop-up in the Porta Venezia Design district.

The Lancia Sibilo, of 1978, was conceived as a potential successor to the classic Lancia Stratos. Using a stretched Stratos frame and mid-mounted six cylinder 190 HP Ferrari Dino engine, Gandini designed a chunky coupe body that was meant to resemble a cast billet of steel, which as little definition between body and glasshouse as possible. Due to limitations in materials technology, that concept did not quite work out, but it is still a fascinating car, and perhaps more influential than one might think. Look at the current crop of chunky SUVs with their squared-off wheel haunches and you can see a design lineage, conscious or not.

Or you can just enjoy the car for what it is: A strange bit of science fiction that we wish had become an automotive reality.