Bruno Sacco, one of the most important automobile designers of the 20th century, died on Monday, September 19, 2024, aged 90 in Sindelfingen, Germany. For 41 years at Mercedes-Benz, he designed several vehicles that remain among the defining elements of the marque to this very day.
Born in Udine, Italy, Sacco entered Mercedes in 1958 after brief work with Ghia and Pininfarina. His designs included the 600 (W100) and the 230 SL “Pagoda” (W113), before heading the Stylistics department from 1975. Under his lead, Mercedes introduced such prominent models as the S-Class (W126), the predecessor of the E-Class W123 T-Modell, and, naturally, the G-Class. The style of Sacco has been characterized as timeless throughout. Every Mercedes-Benz retained an inimitable identity over the decades.
Among his contributions to the 126 series, Sacco was extremely proud and often considered this his best work. The dark blue 560 SEC from the 126 series was the car he kept in retirement. Far more important, however, was that Sacco spearheaded the use of models such as the 190 series (W201) to attract younger buyers and assist in the development of the M-Class luxury SUV and the A-Class.
Sacco’s designs gave Mercedes its reputation of being “built like a tank,” a term which not only reflects the period of over-engineered, robust cars that defined much of the German manufacturer’s heritage but also now defines much of its respective legacy. Even after retiring in 1999, Sacco continued keeping in touch with the brand, saying, “Mercedes has been my life, and I stand for that time one hundred percent.”
The legacy Bruno Sacco has left defines Mercedes-Benz today: innovative, masterly crafted, and full of timeless design.
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