Medusa

Giugiaro aimed at giving the volumes overall cleanness and softness in order to reap the utmost aerodynamic benefit. From this standpoint, the Medusa is in all respects the child of the Asso di Picche. He introduced fixed windows flush with the exterior; he designed bumpers built into the shape of the hoods; he positioned the sill area towards the outside of the flank to protect the wheel bays; he carved out a recess in the belt fascia above the sill area to reduce the main section; and, finally, he fitted a spoiler onto the base of the rear window. Once established on paper, show cars are usually turned directly into wooden beating models for the prototype to be made. This was a different case, with an intermediate phase of wind tunnel tests. A comparison of the original drawing with the finished prototype reveals how conceptually well-done the Medusa was at the outset in terms of aerodynamics, because the refining in the wind tunnel did not modify the shape suggested in the sketches, if only in small details.