RIP Robert Opron 1932-2021
Discussion
French car designer Robert Opron, whose works included the Citroen SM and CX and the Renault Alpine A310, has died aged 89.
https://www.formtrends.com/remembering-robert-opro...
https://www.formtrends.com/remembering-robert-opro...
Edited by anonymous-user on Sunday 4th April 10:13
Sad to hear, but what a legacy. Love the 2 big Citroens, the SM in particular. Remember seeing one for the first time as a tweenager, real jaw drop moment. Much more out there and original than any of the usual supercars suspects.
The SM is the car that Durand Durand would drive, if he weren't a made up character;)
The SM is the car that Durand Durand would drive, if he weren't a made up character;)
dontlookdown said:
Sad to hear, but what a legacy. Love the 2 big Citroens, the SM in particular. Remember seeing one for the first time as a tweenager, real jaw drop moment. Much more out there and original than any of the usual supercars suspects.
The SM is the car that Durand Durand would drive, if he weren't a made up character;)
He's made up?! But, does that mean Barb.....? Noooooo!The SM is the car that Durand Durand would drive, if he weren't a made up character;)
Simes205 said:
Genius.
Added the swivel headlamps and restyled the DS, designed the Ami 8, GS, SM and CX plus a few Renaults.
Also the strangely attractive Citroen Belphegor.
Legend.
According to Wikipedia those trucks were designed by Flaminio Bertoni. That's their spelling, not mine.Added the swivel headlamps and restyled the DS, designed the Ami 8, GS, SM and CX plus a few Renaults.
Also the strangely attractive Citroen Belphegor.
Legend.
Edited by Simes205 on Sunday 4th April 09:56
Johnspex said:
Simes205 said:
Genius.
Added the swivel headlamps and restyled the DS, designed the Ami 8, GS, SM and CX plus a few Renaults.
Also the strangely attractive Citroen Belphegor.
Legend.
According to Wikipedia those trucks were designed by Flaminio Bertoni. That's their spelling, not mine.Added the swivel headlamps and restyled the DS, designed the Ami 8, GS, SM and CX plus a few Renaults.
Also the strangely attractive Citroen Belphegor.
Legend.
Edited by Simes205 on Sunday 4th April 09:56
Stick Legs said:
Robert Opron.
Paul Bracq.
Oliver Winterbottom.
Geoff Lawson.
All of these guys should be household names.
The only living designer of similar talent and recognition is Ian Callum.
(I don't include Gordon Murray as he is an engineer and not a stylist).
I'm getting old now, but isn't there a guy still out there called... Peter Stevens?Paul Bracq.
Oliver Winterbottom.
Geoff Lawson.
All of these guys should be household names.
The only living designer of similar talent and recognition is Ian Callum.
(I don't include Gordon Murray as he is an engineer and not a stylist).
And re genius Robert Opron, what about his (English) successor, Trevor Frost?
Sorry, I mean Trevor Fiore - who changed surname to his mother's family name to 'sound' Italian while working for Fissore -
it must have helped as he got Opron's job at Citroen in 1980.
As I'm venturing this side of the channel, and not to detract fromt he sad passing of genius Opron, what about the Citroen designed here in Blighty (it was a flop, but hey ho) and typically British the body made from fibreglass. I'm talking about the weird Bijou.
I recall this story going through some old classic car mags recently. A 1980's issue of Practical Classics.
Ray Barrington Brock - this was in one of the readers’ restorations columns.
It said he Brock was an ex works HRG driver and motorcycle racer who owned a Peerless – he’d thought his Peerless would not be the ideal transport to collect his pension so he purchased not one, but two wacky Citroen Bijou as a package deal.
One was rough, the other terrible (but ideal for spares).
A friend of Ray’s decided the better of the two cars he would rebuild for Ray and restore it to near as original as possible.
However, Ray thought it was a shame to use the other Bijou for spares only, so he decided to take it upon himself to rebuild it for his everyday use – at this point in time Ray was 85 years old!!
Not only did he rebuild it, he got it Mot’d and taxed and on the road and used it daily and collected his pension.
There’s hope then for us 'youngsters'.
Pic attached of him with the body off (grp of course because of the involvement of Peter Kirwan Taylor – Loti Elite designer - with Citroen).
Obviously Ray isn't alive today unless he's 112? So I had a google and looked him up.
Blimey, was he multi-talented!
This was his obituary in The Times.
Raymond Barrington Brock
A Fellow of the Royal Institute of Chemistry, he was also president of the Scientific Instrument Makers Association. Chief Air Raid Warden for the City of London during the Blitz, for which he was appointed MBE and made a Freeman of the City, he had qualified as a pilot in 1932 and shot at Bisley. He established the Oxted Viticultural Research Station, laying the foundations of the present day English wine industry. At 50 he was co-opted into the British Bobsleigh team as brakeman. A yachtsman, he also designed and built a steam launch, owned a colour printing works, a Renault franchise and an early computer firm. While in his eighties he took to restoring classic cars.
Barrington Brock also did some racing. Motorcycles at Brooklands pre-war, then as David said, third in class in the 1948 Spa 24 hour race, followed by 2nd in class in 1949, driving an HRG with a streamlined body of his own design. He abandoned circuit racing for Swiss hillclimbs in which he competed in a Healey special and a Jowett Javelin.
Born August 19th 1907, died February 14th 1999.
Apols for the distraction, but it adds to the story.
IMO of course.
Simes205 said:
Genius.
Added the swivel headlamps and restyled the DS, designed the Ami 8, GS, SM and CX plus a few Renaults.
Also the strangely attractive Citroen Belphegor.
Legend.
And the Alfa Romeo SZ too.Added the swivel headlamps and restyled the DS, designed the Ami 8, GS, SM and CX plus a few Renaults.
Also the strangely attractive Citroen Belphegor.
Legend.
I wanted my Dad to buy a CX, he bought a Cortina. Later, I wanted him to buy a Renault Fuego (also Opron) and he bought another Cortina. -sigh-
gforceg said:
dontlookdown said:
Sad to hear, but what a legacy. Love the 2 big Citroens, the SM in particular. Remember seeing one for the first time as a tweenager, real jaw drop moment. Much more out there and original than any of the usual supercars suspects.
The SM is the car that Durand Durand would drive, if he weren't a made up character;)
He's made up?! But, does that mean Barb.....? Noooooo!The SM is the car that Durand Durand would drive, if he weren't a made up character;)
Breadvan72 said:
He TOTALLY would drive an SM!
It is still a space age car. I am trying to persuade a friend to spaff a chunk of money on an SM so that I can have a go in it. I have maxed out my car spending and storage space so will have to hope for vicarious spacey 70s thrills.
I think borrowing someone else's is definitely the least painful way to enjoy an SM. Good luck in your mission!It is still a space age car. I am trying to persuade a friend to spaff a chunk of money on an SM so that I can have a go in it. I have maxed out my car spending and storage space so will have to hope for vicarious spacey 70s thrills.
dontlookdown said:
Breadvan72 said:
He TOTALLY would drive an SM!
It is still a space age car. I am trying to persuade a friend to spaff a chunk of money on an SM so that I can have a go in it. I have maxed out my car spending and storage space so will have to hope for vicarious spacey 70s thrills.
I think borrowing someone else's is definitely the least painful way to enjoy an SM. Good luck in your mission!It is still a space age car. I am trying to persuade a friend to spaff a chunk of money on an SM so that I can have a go in it. I have maxed out my car spending and storage space so will have to hope for vicarious spacey 70s thrills.
RDMcG said:
dontlookdown said:
Breadvan72 said:
He TOTALLY would drive an SM!
It is still a space age car. I am trying to persuade a friend to spaff a chunk of money on an SM so that I can have a go in it. I have maxed out my car spending and storage space so will have to hope for vicarious spacey 70s thrills.
I think borrowing someone else's is definitely the least painful way to enjoy an SM. Good luck in your mission!It is still a space age car. I am trying to persuade a friend to spaff a chunk of money on an SM so that I can have a go in it. I have maxed out my car spending and storage space so will have to hope for vicarious spacey 70s thrills.
BV, I have just remembered trying to get a friend of mine to do exactly he same, albeit they were pretty cheap then (early 90s?). He demurred and chose a s3 4.2 XJ6 instead, as a more 'sensible' choice.
It was a lovely thing in its own way, but the block and head were both badly cracked and it expired only a few months later. So much for 'sensible' - should have had the SM;)
My 1971 SM which I owned for three years (2016-2019). This scratched an itch I had had since owning the Dinkey model when I was a kid. Fabulous eccentric piece of 1970s cool and so different from anything else. Its party piece was its ability to ride smoothly over speedbumps without lifting off. Sold it with R M Sotheby in Essen in 2019 as part of a plan to reduce numbers.
OLDBENZ said:
My 1971 SM which I owned for three years (2016-2019). This scratched an itch I had had since owning the Dinkey model when I was a kid. Fabulous eccentric piece of 1970s cool and so different from anything else. Its party piece was its ability to ride smoothly over speedbumps without lifting off. Sold it with R M Sotheby in Essen in 2019 as part of a plan to reduce numbers.
My two - both from Robert Opren - and I love them both dearly. I have admired your work for many years. Rest in peace Robert Opren. 
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