Figoni et Falaschi

Figoni et Falaschi

Company type	Private
Industry	Coachbuilding, Automotive design
Founded	1935
Founder	Giuseppe Figoni, Ovidio Falaschi
Defunct	1950s
Headquarters	Paris , France
Products	Custom automobile bodies, coachbuilding

Figoni et Falaschi was a prestigious French coachbuilding company that operated from 1935 through the 1950s. The design direction was led by Giuseppe Figoni, while Ovidio Falaschi oversaw the commercial and administrative aspects.

Early history: Figoni

Giuseppe Figoni, born in 1894 in Farini, Italy, relocated to Paris during his childhood and trained under a carriage maker before his military service in World War I. Following the war, he established Carrosserie Automobilie in Boulogne-sur-Seine, where he earned acclaim for his custom coachbuilding. By 1925, he was creating bespoke bodies on chassis from manufacturers such as Delahaye, Bugatti, Renault, Delage, Panhard, and Alfa Romeo under the Figoni label. His aerodynamic designs for racing vehicles included the Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 Le Mans model, victor of the 24 Hours of Le Mans between 1932 and 1934, as well as the Delahaye Type 138 18CV Speciale, which set a 48-hour endurance record in 1934. These initial creations were relatively traditional compared to the unique aesthetic that later became synonymous with Figoni et Falaschi.

In 1935, Figoni joined forces with Italian entrepreneur Ovidio Falaschi to establish Figoni et Falaschi. Falaschi’s expertise in finance and management enabled Figoni to concentrate on pioneering design work that would define the firm’s signature style.

The 1936 Delahaye 135 coupe, commissioned by racing driver Albert Perrot and exhibited at the Mondial de l'Automobile by Comtesse de la Saint Amour de Chanaz, garnered significant praise. This achievement was succeeded by the Talbot-Lago T150C SS Teardrop Coupe, commissioned during Antonio Lago’s revitalization of the Talbot marque. These automobiles have commanded multi-million-dollar prices at elite auctions: $3.5 million at Christie's Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance (2005), $3.9 million at Gooding & Company’s Palm Beach auction (2006), where it secured "Best in Show," and $4.6 million at RM Auctions’ Pebble Beach event (2010).

Design features

Figoni drew heavily on contemporary aircraft aerodynamic principles to create the brand’s hallmark Italian goccia d'acqua (tear-drop) elliptical forms and enveloping pontoon fenders that conveyed a sense of fluid sophistication. To optimize airflow, he incorporated fender skirts over rear wheels and frequently on the front ones as well. The streamlined profile was further enhanced by sharply inclined windshields along with headlights and door handles integrated flush with bodywork. Figoni also held patents for retractable convertible tops and sunroofs that maintained clean lines on roadsters and drophead coupes. Chrome accents such as hood ornaments and trim echoed the dynamic motion suggested by his designs.

Employing nitrocellulose lacquer, Figoni finished vehicles in vibrant metallic shades often blending two or three complementary colors to accentuate body contours. Luxurious golden wood dashboards became a distinctive hallmark. The company collaborated with Parisian couturiers to present automobiles alongside fashion models clad in matching haute couture ensembles at auto shows and concours d'elegance, reinforcing their reputation as "couturiers of automotive coachwork." Each handcrafted body demanded roughly 2,100 hours of labor, underscoring the extraordinary attention to detail invested in every car.

See also

• Streamline Moderne

External links

• Coachbuild.com encyclopedia: Figoni & Falaschi
• Carrosserie Figoni & Falaschi, an extensive photo archive accompanied by French descriptions