Robert Opron created or collaborated on numerous projects that became production cars for brands that included Simca, Renault, and Fiat.
40 Facts About Robert Opron
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Robert Opron is best known for his work at Citroen, which he joined in 1962 and where he became responsable de style in 1964.
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Robert Opron's father was in the military and received several postings to locations in French Colonial Africa, so Opron grew up in places like Algeria, Mali and Abidjan.
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At 18 years old Opron contracted tuberculosis, and had to spend time in a sanatorium.
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Robert Opron returned to France in 1952 and enrolled in the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Amiens; one year later he transferred to the Ecole nationale superieure des Beaux-Arts in Paris.
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Altogether Robert Opron spent eight years studying architecture, painting, and sculpture.
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In 1952 Robert Opron began his professional career as a machine designer for the Compagnie Nationale des Sucreries in Ham in the Somme.
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Robert Opron specialised in cockpit design, and worked on the Nord Noratlas aircraft.
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Robert Opron redesigned the Simca Vedette as a parade limousine for Charles de Gaulle.
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Robert Opron's department was eliminated in 1961, and Opron received a two-year severance payout, but with a non-compete clause that prevented him from moving to another automaker.
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When Robert Opron first applied to work for Citroen, the chief designer, Flaminio Bertoni, threw Robert Opron's portfolio on the floor and told him he didn't think much of his work.
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Robert Opron went on to design the SM coupe, the GS and the CX, all for Citroen.
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Robert Opron died from complications of COVID-19 on 29 March 2021, in Antony near Paris.
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Robert Opron was one of twenty-five designers nominated for the 1999 Car Designer of the Century competition.
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Robert Opron received Car Design News' Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016.
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In 1959 Robert Opron unveiled the futuristic Simca Fulgur concept car.
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Robert Opron consulted with an astrophysicist friend to help integrate these not-yet realised concepts into the car.
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Robert Opron was at Renault throughout most of the Espace's development and for one year after sales started.
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Robert Opron-Mercier noticed an advertisement in Le Monde saying that an "Important industrial group" was looking to hire an experienced designer.
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Robert Opron responded to the ad, and was directed to report to the Quai de Javel, the home of Citroen.
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When Robert Opron arrived for the meeting with Bertoni, the older man asked to see Robert Opron's portfolio of drawings.
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Robert Opron became Citroen's Responable de Style, or chief stylist, in 1964 following the death of Bertoni.
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Robert Opron was tasked with developing a replacement for the 2CV, which evolved into the 1965 Citroen G-Mini design study.
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Robert Opron began working on the second restyling of the Citroen DS as early as 1963 with Projet D29.
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Robert Opron's "Nouveau Visage" front appearing on the 1968 model year DS was a four-headlamp design with two lamps on each side under glass covers that blended with the body's lines.
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In 1967, having abandoned the ambitious Projet F begun by Bertoni and taken over by Robert Opron, Citroen initiated a competition for a new mid-range model that pitted Robert Opron and the Bureau d'Etudes against Giorgetto Giugiaro and Italdesign.
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Robert Opron's proposal carried the day, and his Project G eventually became the GS released in 1970.
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Some have claimed that Robert Opron based the GS' shape on the Pininfarina Austin 1800 Aerodinamica Berline of 1967.
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Robert Opron oversaw the arrangements for the move, which was completed progressively over several years.
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Robert Opron refreshed the Ami 6 to create the Ami 8 of 1969.
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Robert Opron led the team that developed the Citroen M35, a two-door fastback based on the Ami 8 chassis that was powered by a single rotor Comotor engine.
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In 1975 Robert Opron started work at Renault after reportedly being the target of an executive search by them.
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Robert Opron developed a design for an ultra-compact city car called the Vehicule Bas de Gamme, or Entry Level Vehicle.
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Robert Opron was involved in the Vesta II concept car of 1987, along with designer Gaston Juchet.
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In May 1977 Robert Opron sent a letter to director Francois Zanotti, director of Renault's commercial division, with a proposal for a new line of commercial trucks, and included two sketches by designer Guy Greffier.
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Robert Opron wanted to establish a centre of advanced styling in the United States.
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Robert Opron spent time in the States working to that end, but it did not materialise.
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Robert Opron is credited with creating the earliest sketches for a design project called the ES 30, for Experimental Sportscar 3.0 litres.
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In 1992 Robert Opron left Fiat at sixty years of age, having reached mandatory retirement age.
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For Ligier Robert Opron produced the original Due, which debuted at the 1998 Paris Motor Show.