Gillet Bellariva wins Bronze A' Design Award

Gillet Bellariva, a multipurpose supercar by Francesco Riva and Gillet Automobiles, has won Bronze in the A' Design Award's Vehicle, Mobility and Transportation Design category. The recognition spotlights a front-engined concept that blends 1950s and 1960s styling cues with nautical-inspired craftsmanship and hand-built carbon fiber construction.

Why it matters: - The Bronze A' Design Award puts Gillet Bellariva in an international design competition judged through a blind peer-review process. - The recognition signals market interest in vehicles that combine classic automotive styling, lightweight engineering and luxury-inspired detailing. - The award may help broaden attention on Francesco Riva and Gillet Automobiles as they develop exotic supercar concepts.

What happened: - The A' Design Award named Gillet Bellariva a Bronze winner in the Vehicle, Mobility and Transportation Design category on June 29, 2026. - Francesco Riva and Gillet Automobiles created the multipurpose supercar in Como, Italy. - The design is described as a blend of classic automotive beauty and nautical elegance. - A dedicated project page is available here.

The details: - Gillet Bellariva introduces a new exterior design architecture for front-engined cars. - The concept reinterprets the golden age of automotive design from the 1950s and 1960s. - The vehicle uses hand-built carbon fiber construction. - The interior includes a full rear wood deck with lighting, styled to evoke a yacht. - The rear compartment offers about 400 liters of cargo space. - The design includes a hidden 30-liter safe. - A double counter sits beneath a sliding panel on the mahogany dashboard. - The headlights flow from the outside to the inside of the car while staying below the hood line. - The headlights also feature a wooden base. - The tail is shaped to suggest a vessel entering and merging with the car. - Francesco Riva conceived the project after a decade of research. - Tony Gillet, founder of Gillet Automobiles, helped bring the project to realization. - Patrick Bataille, Maxime Barthelemy and Vincent Barbereau supported the engineering and construction.

Between the lines: - The design leans on cross-disciplinary cues from sports cars, luxury speedboats and yachts. - That mix positions the vehicle as a design statement as much as a performance object. - The Bronze award suggests the jury saw both creativity and practical execution in the concept. - The project also fits Gillet Automobiles' long focus on hand-built, lightweight sportscars.

What's next: - The award could support further refinement of the Bellariva design language. - Francesco Riva and Gillet Automobiles may use the recognition to advance future exotic supercar projects. - More information on the A' Design Award and related competitions is available at vehicleaward.com.

The bottom line: - Gillet Bellariva has turned a nautical-themed supercar concept into internationally recognized design work.