Every creative person drives a lot of joy from seeing their ideas take shape and get a life of their own. Whereas some creatives such as filmmakers and writers enjoy a life of fame, fortune, and glamour, their counterparts in the automotive industry hardly have the spotlight shone on them. Only a select few enjoy an elevated status. Regardless, most of them thoroughly enjoy every part of the creative process just as much as we enjoy the final product. Many designers create lots of admirable cars in their lifetime, effectively inscribing their names in history books with indelible ink. Other designs never make it beyond the ink and paper stage though.

Car designing is not entirely a one-man-show. There is a lot of teamwork involved, and it takes time to eventually have the final design approved for production. Nevertheless, the conceptualizer of the idea oversees the process and works to fine-tune every detail of the design. More often, this person takes credit as the car designer.

In the history of the automotive industry, several talented designers have blessed the world with their natural gifts. Some designers have worked for or with some of the biggest automotive brands.

From Lamborghini to Bugatti, Ford to Porsche, Koenigsseg to Fisker, there are fascinating stories of the efforts made by car designers. Here is a list of legendary car designers that America ever produced.

10 Harley Earl - Cadillac LaSalle

1927 La Salle Series 303
Via:Hemmings

It is Harley Earl who revolutionized the automotive designing industry so much that the appearance of a car became as important as its mechanical abilities.

Harley Earl was born in Hollywood, California, and no doubt his father's work as a coachbuilder had a lot of influence on him the younger Earl. Earl joined General Motors in the 1920s and spent the next 31 years of his professional life. Before his arrival at GM, car design was the role of engineers who gave little thought to aesthetics. He renamed the Art and Colour department to Styling and his influence was so monumental that rival automakers soon launched their car styling studios.

192 Cadillac 314
Via: Mecum Auctions

The 1927 Cadillac LaSalle catapulted Harley Earl to the limelight. The Chevrolet Corvette is yet another of Earl's immortal creations. He died at the age of 76 in 1969, a decade after retirement.

9 Carrol Shelby - Shelby Cobra

A replica of 1967 Shell Valley Cobra
Via: Pinterest

Carrol Shelby stands out as an iconic all-round contributor to the American automotive. He wears many hats. A chicken farmer, a race car driver and a legendary builder of influential automobiles.

Shelby was born in Leesburg, Texas in 1923. He trained as an aviation cadet and became a WWII instructor. Shelby plunged into the automotive industry much later, starting as race driver in January 1952. He retired from race driving in 1959 due to deteriorating health. This marked his entry into building sports cars.

Blue Cobra with white racing stripes
Via: Icollector.com

Shelby first demonstrated prowess in automotive sporting by pairing a British AC Ace with Ford's V8 engine to build the Cobra. It went on to become one of the greatest sports car ever. His Shelby American company build nearly 1000 cobras by the time production ceased in 1967. The Ford Mustang GT also has so much to thank Shelby for. He died in 2012 at the age of 89.

Related: Here's What Everyone Forgot About The 1966 Shelby Cobra Super Snake

8 Raph Gilles - Dodge Charger

Ralph-Gilles-Kisses-a-Dodge-Charger-1024x664
Via:MotoBiscuit

Raph Gilles serves as head of design at Fiat Chrysler Automobile(FCA) and the man responsible for sketching the Chrysler 300c, the Dodge Magnum, the SRT Grand Cherokee as well as the Dodge Charger.

Dodge Charger SRT
Via: Autoblog

"What I appreciate is certain athleticism," He once told sufacemag.com. The man born in New York and brought up in Montreal developed his interest in car design at an early age and has risen through the ranks to head one of the leading global automakers. The intriguing Dodge Chargers are some of the most powerful cars in the world today.

Related: 9 Things Most People Don't Know About The Dodge Magelanum

7 Bill Mitchell - Chevrolet Stingray

1959-chevrolet-stingray-racer4
Via:Autoweek

Bill Mitchell took over from Harley Earl, heading GM's design team right after the great pioneer had cleared the bushes. Bill joined General Motors in December 1935 and became Chief Designer at Cadillac, less than a year later.

Bill Mitchell's Stringray Race
Via:Pinterest

A man who ruthlessly defended his design ideas, Bill loathed committee approvals and depended more on his own judgment. The 1959 Stringray Race that preceded the next generation Corvette, the Monza GT, the SS concepts and Mini-Camaro are some of his incredible creations. The Corvette Stingray still stands as one of the most expensive Corvettes in history. Bill passed away in 1988 at the age of 76 years. His career at GM spanned 42 years.

6 Raymond Loewy - Studbaker Avanti

1963 Studebaker
Via: Classiccars.com

Raymond Loewy was a hugely talented designer, working on nearly anything that the consumer market needed. From big production-line machinery, railroad terminals to razors, the and Coca-Cola bottle, Loewy's designs cut across multiple industries.

Studebaker Avanti
Via: Classic Motosports

In the automotive industry, Loewy's influence began in 1936, when he was hired by the now-defunct automaker Studebaker. Although it was impactful, his big break came with the Avanti's design in 1961, the Starliner and the Starlight coupes carried Loew's styling ideas.

Related: 10 Things You Didn't Know About The Studebaker Motor Company

5 Virgil Exner - Dodge Firearrow

Dodge Firearrow
Via: Autoweek

Virgil Exner was handpicked by Earl to be part of GM's design team. He spearheaded the Pontiac design and was instrumental in the creation of its variants between 1937-1938. He then moved to Studebaker and then to Chrysler, where he refreshed most designs as we know them today.

Dodge Firearrow
Via: Hemmings

At Chrysler, Exner created what was he considered the "idea cars." Some of his creations include the K-310,the C-200 and the Dodge Firearrow. He passed on in 1973, aged 64.

4 Dick Teague - AMC Pacer

Packard Panther Roadster display
Via: Pinterest

Dick Teague's best years in automotive design were spent at American Motors Company(AMC) between 1961 and 1986.

Via: Favcars.com

Earlier on in the '50s Teague had put his name as the designer for Packard Panther Daytonas. He rose through the ranks to become Vice President of Styling at AMC. His work on the 1975 AMC Pacer became a pacesetter in car styling, although the car never performed very well in the market

3 Gordon Buehrig - Continental Mark II

1956 Lincoln Continental Mark II
Via: Hemmings

Whereas this list is already star-studded, the addition of Gordon Buehrig comes to spice it up. Born 1904, Gordon's honed his art at Packard, GM and Stutz.He became the chief body designer for Duesenberg at the age of 25.

Via: Autoweek

He joined Ford in 1949 and dipped his hands in projects such as the 1951 Victorian Coupe as well as the Continental Mark II which was a beautiful, stylish car that was ahead of its time. He invented and patented the removable T-top. The Duesnberg Model J and the unconventional Cord810 are also part of his legacy. Upon retirement from Ford, he went to teach at Art Center-College of Design for five years, molding several talented designers in his five years at the institution.

2 Howard 'Dutch' Darrin - The Packard Darrin

Packard Darrin 180 Convertible Victora
Via: Mecum Auctions

Howard Dutch Darrin became a darling of the automotive industry by giving his talent to some of the legendary American cars though his company the Darrin Motor Car Company which he formed after WWII.

His contribution to the automotive industry started at the age of 10 when he became a staffer at the Automobile Topics, a magazine ran by a friend of his father's known as Franc Roach.

Via: Pinterest

The convertible Victoria is said to be Darrin's favorite body style. The Packard Darrin of 1937 became one of the most sought after by Hollywood superstars. It's this outfit that created the highly heralded Kaiser Darrin.

Related: Looking Back At The Kaiser Jeep M715

1 Edmund E. Anderson - Rambler American

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Via: Hagerty

Edmund took charge of AMC’s design division from 1950-1961 and did a tremendous job, mainly restyling some of the companies brands considered too bland at the time. Among them is the now forgotten Nash Rambler which became the Rambler American.

A 1960 Rambler American
Via: Wikiwand

Edmund gave it an overhaul look and enabled AMC to reproduce without major cost implications in a rapidly changing market.

Next: Here's How Much An AMC AMX Is Worth Today