Like his older brother, Emilio had always been fully involved in building the firm. He was the family artist and had designed and built cars since he was a child. While working, he also attended the Brera academy from where he obtained a diploma in the visual arts. He had a true passion for fast vehicles and in addition to loving cars he also adored motorbikes, of which he was a patron. He in fact organised the first motorcycle rally in Milan.
A background in construction and specialist tuition in painting and sculpture meant he could keep the complex design of the automobile under absolute control. A cultured man, Emilio was inspired by a sense of rigour and by the proportions of the classical world for his creations.
His passion for dynamic objects that could cut through the breeze bestowed an absence of rigidity and an unequalled level of definition on the lines he created. The forms of his cars were sinuous and smooth, serene but never flat, and always absolutely innovative.
Between 1929 and 1933 the most beautiful cars ever were built.
Among Emilio’s strong points were his search for the best patents and his proclivity for frequent collaborative projects with the most renowned exponents of the epoch, such as the French stylist Jean Patou for the choice of fabrics and colours, and the German aerodynamics engineer Bergmann, which would lead to the design and production of a large number of car bodies along the lines of the first aerodynamic MPV in motoring history built for Count Ricotti in 1913 on an Alfa Romeo 40/60 HP chassis.