Rudolf Hruska was an Austrian automobile designer and engineer born in Vienna in 1915. He began his career in the 1930s working for Steyr, and during World War II collaborated with Ferdinand Porsche on military vehicle projects. After the war, in 1947, he followed Ferry Porsche to Italy to work on the ambitious Cisitalia Grand Prix car project. Despite the eventual bankruptcy of Cisitalia, Hruska decided to remain in Italy, where his career would flourish. He joined Alfa Romeo in the early 1950s, where he played a central role in the development of several landmark models. He was instrumental in the engineering of the Alfa Romeo 1900, the first car from the brand to adopt mass-production methods. However, Hruska’s most significant contribution came later, as the lead project manager and chief engineer of the Alfa Romeo Alfasud. From 1967, he oversaw the planning, design, and industrialization of the entire project, including the establishment of the new plant in Pomigliano d’Arco, near Naples. The Alfasud was revolutionary in layout and packaging, being Alfa Romeo’s first front-wheel-drive car and the company’s answer to compact European rivals. Hruska's engineering vision was rooted in efficiency, lightweight design, and advanced suspension solutions, and he remained closely associated with Alfa Romeo through the 1970s and early 1980s. In addition to his work with Alfa Romeo, Hruska also consulted for Fiat and other manufacturers, and his influence extended to various sectors of automotive production and industrial planning. He passed away in 1995, leaving behind a legacy of innovation and technical excellence in the postwar European automotive industry.

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