Pelle Petterson

Per "Pelle" Helmer Petterson (born July 21, 1932) in Stockholm is an award-winning Swedish sailor and yacht designer. He is the son of Helmer Petterson, and studied design at the leading Pratt Institute in New York from 1955 through 1957. He is probably best known for designing the Maxi Class sailing boats, which are still among the most common sailing boats in Swedish waters. He also designed Volvo's successful sports car, the P1800, while he was a student of Pietro Frua.
During this video interview at the 2009 Star boat World Championships in Varberg Sweden, he shares part of his links to boats and also to the P1800...

Another great opportunity to capture a glimpse of the great personality of Pelle Petterson is to watch the next video about the presentation of his last Maxi 11 production

1957 Ghia CEO Luigi Segre + Pelle Petterson + Pietro Frua

near the mockup

 

 

Prototype P958-X1 Pelle and future wife

Blog's editor column:
My passion for the P1800 is a 33 years old story, I started my passion for classic cars with other cars while keeping the P1800 as the impossible target, and ultimately got mine, a rare ice blue 1800S found in Switzerland. As founder and Chairman of the Viking Classic Auto Show 2010 featuring the 50th anniversary of the P1800 presentation to the public in 1960, I was like a kid dreaming of the possible extend of creating such a show, piling up famous names in my dreams. I will be forever thankful to Claes Rydholm Head of Volvo Cars heritage to accept exchanging and make the link possible, I finally had the unrealistic and extreme privilege for an enthusiast to establish a personal relation with the very own designer of my favorite object of passion; Pelle and his wife Irene (the graceful lady near Pelle in Turin near the prototype). I gave all my energy to play the best possible host role during there stay in France. As a mark of gratitude I decided to setup this blog to share more about the P1800 and also about Pelle. The Magic with Pelle Petterson lays not only in his incredible talent in designing the P1800 in the workshop of Maserati's and combining fins and details that made its fame, but also with the fact his name as designer of the P1800 was kept secret during more than 50years, since the brand officially recognized only his paternity of the coupé with the voice of wise Claes in 2009. Thank you so much Pelle, considering your celebrity, to always be so accessible and friendly when you are contacted, thank you also to call me your Friend.

Inauguration of the 50th anniversary of the P1800 in 2010
R to L:  CEO Volvo France, Pelle Petterson, Head of Swedish Institute, Irv Gordon, H.E.Ambassador of Sweden, Head of Volvo Cars Heritage, your servitor