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Designed for success: Alessandro Dambrosio has extensive experience in automotive design and penned a number of iconic models, including the Alfa Romeo 159.

MITSUBISHI Motors Corporation (MMC) has appointed former Audi and Alfa Romeo designer Alessandro Dambrosio as its new executive design director of advanced design, starting in October this year.

Mr Dambrosio will head up three Mitsubishi design studios in Akazaki and Tokyo in Japan, as well as in Frankfurt, Germany, and he will report directly to corporate vice-president of design division, Tsunehiro Kunimoto.

Mr Kunimoto said Mr Dambrosio was a welcome addition to the Mitsubishi team and added that he would help shape Mitsubishi’s future design.

“Alessandro is a very experienced and skilled designer with a long career at leading car companies,” he said. “I look forward to him inspiring our teams to shape the next generation of Mitsubishi Design and contributing to rebuild and enhance the Mitsubishi Motors brand as we aim for global growth.

“Alessandro is joining at an exciting time when we are working on concepts for the future of Mitsubishi Motors styling. With his passion and well-developed understanding of brand values, he will be an extremely valuable addition to our design team.”

Mr Dambrosio was the head of the Audi concept design studio in Munich from early 2014 to June this year, and prior to that he was the head of the Volkswagen Group design studio in Braunschweig from January 2011.

During his tenure at VW Group, he was involved with the development of vehicles including the VW Polo and Passat, Bentley Bentayga, the Audi A4 and A5, and the Concept Audi TT Sportback.

Mr Dambrosio was the interior and exterior chief designer for Maserati from 2007 to 2009 and was the senior exterior designer for Alfa Romeo from 2002 to 2008.

Through this and other roles within the wider Fiat Chrysler group, Mr Dambrosio was responsible for the design of models and concepts including the Alfa Romeo Kamal, 159 and Giulietta, and the Maserati MC and GranCabrio.

Mitsubishi’s design has been dominated by its ‘Dynamic Shield’ design language for about five years, but Mr Dambrosio’s appointment could signal a shift in styling theme for the Japanese car-maker.

Nissan Motor Co purchased a 34 per cent stake in MMC in 2016, bringing the Japanese brand into the massive Renault-Nissan Alliance.

By Tim Nicholson

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