The lasting legacy of Sergio Scaglietti

Michelangelo Buonarroti, Leonardo Da Vinci and Raphael — the trinity of great Italian masters who dominated the High Renaissance — are names that will not fade from memory until the very end of time.

It's the timeless nature of their beautiful works of art that has etched these names in the annals of human history, even centuries after they died. Judging by the yardsticks of enduring beauty and ever-increasing value of his handiwork, Sergio Scaglietti, the Italian ‘maestro of aluminium' who died last week aged 91, doubtless deserves a place alongside these great compatriots of his.

The legendary Ferrari coachbuilder was behind the bodywork of some of the most beautiful machines ever, including the 750 Monza, the Testa Rossa, the 250 GTO, the California Spider, the 500 Mondial and the 410 Sport. Sergio's life turned around at the age of 13 when his father died and he was forced to work at Fabbrica Modenese Carrozzerie, where he soon found himself helping owner Dante Bertani in shaping car body parts. It was here that young Sergio learnt the basics of hammering out flowing designs out of sheet metal. And it didn't take him much time to realise that this was his calling.

After the Second World War, he set up his own shop and before long caught the attention Enzo Ferrari. He eventually became the designated bodybuilder for Ferrari's racecars, shaping some of the most famous models that not just looked splendid but also won races all over. At Carrozzeria Scaglietti, cars were not made based on blueprints, but on scale models made by none other than Battista Pininfarina. Sergio would make a life-size wire frame based on this before hammering the sheet metal into magically beautiful lines. He also stayed away from wood, which was conventionally used to form metal, using bags of sand instead.

For Enzo Ferrari, Sergio was not just his coachbuilder. He was one of the select few men who were part of Il Commendatore's inner circle who would get together every weekend until the great man died. Scaglietti's contribution to Ferrari was significant, and in 2004 the carmaker named its four-seater, the 612 Scaglietti, in his honour.

Scaglietti's creations still command astronomical prices at auctions worldwide, but their real value cannot be assessed in millions; they're simply priceless.