A brand in automotive. A touch in design. Place them both together and you have an explosive new concept-car known as the Jaguar B99 which Bertone offered at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show.

Beginning with a classic threevolume buildings, Bertone designers have formed the tight, buff body with bold yet refined character, completely built with handcrafted aluminum panels in authentic Italian "coachbuilder" convention. The unique character of the luxury sports-sedan is accentuated by the classy minimalism in and outside, underlining the real temperament of the credibility where understatement equals exclusiveness.

Bertone can have not just the luxurious sedan in Geneva but also a complete GT2 race version, keeping the special "double soul" convention of the Jaguar brand, incorporating high speed aerodynamic appendages and competitive images for continuing success to the race track.

With the 2011 Bertone Jaguar B99 concept-car, Bertone creates a fresh report in its 99-year history as the sole Italian designer to have produced five distinct Jaguars. The previous versions are the 1957 XK 150, created in a limited-edition of the 1967 Jaguar Pirana, the 1966 Jaguar FT concept-car, four copies, and 1977 Jaguar Ascot.

"Britishness": a Jaguar in mind

Begin in the brand. This is actually the notion that Mike Robinson, Bertone Brand & Design Manager, provides his design team for each endeavor. As Bertone should perform lots of catching-up on what inhouse designers ignore: a profound understanding about what their brand was, is, and can be some other style supply.

This stealth or quiet method of hunting is quite distinct from other big feline species who run-down their quarry with long agile legs such as the Cheetah. The Jaguar has an oversize head with an exceedingly strong jaw capable of crushing skulls.

Now the modern image of the Jaguar vehicle maker brand is the notorious "leaper", a chrome picture which poises the refined animal in a strong hop forward with the weight centered around the rear hips projecting the tremendous cat forward with lightning-fast speed. The huge head is stretched-out prepared to catch the un-anticipating quarry. This icon has conditioned Jaguar auto style for many years and continues to consider strongly on the entire balance and proportions of Jaguar autos previous, current, and future.

So every Jaguar should be hushed and smooth and lightning quick, though a distinguished and most refined car. The visual metaphors involving the creature the company name signifies, the emblem, and also the cars from the past are incredibly important for the comprehension of the Jaguar brand. A vintage Jaguar motto was: "Elegance, Space, & Pace". Bertone study for your Jaguar B99 notion might be summed up in: "Cunning Glamour with RaceBred Innovation."

Dynamic Imbalance

Actually the conventional three volume design has taillights and headlights which are approximately the same height from the earth. The rocker panel and also the beltline are absolutely parallel. Still, the automobiles' type language is all-but flat. Actually the bodyside appears like it's jumping forward. This comparison between "linear and jumping" is the key of "dynamic imbalance", the evolutionary pattern which implies a potential Jaguar design language for the future.

The angle of the grill is likened to a sling-shot, which normally will angle forwards as a way to counter-balance the pressure of the payload going to be released. This pressure visually expands the hood, and when along with the high standing of the headlamps, provides B99 front-end a superior stand from just about any angle, hinting at classic Jaguar grilles in yesteryear without renouncing the contemporaneity and also the glamour of its own futuristic luxurious, conveying a sense of movement and agility.

Over the grille the classic leaping jaguar has been replaced by us. Because of complex technology, movement sensors foresee the area of theny item (or individual) that comes near and electric motors will pull it down beneath the amount of the hood in a portion of the second (believe air-bag deployment speed) before any harm can be achieved for the pedestrian.

The body-side of the automobile is distinguished by an incredibly long wheelbase (2.8m) with a traditional short front overhang and a long back one. The conventional three volume greenhouse is shortened (about 75% of the wheelbase). and decreased, now appears to be sunken down to the entire body, such as, a Jaguar stalking its quarry, offering an incredibly contemporary glass-to-mass relationship. Rear-view mirrors are futuristic, ultrathin chrome wings with miniature video cameras that protrude out of the beltline trim molding.

The additional wide stance seen in the butt is particularly significant in a vehicle with just so much strategy see taper. The hips are poised and prepared to pounce, demonstrating the power the auto exudes. The back grille is quite like the front grille, with the same floating polish black insert which carries the spherical Jaguar emblem, but lacking the body. The same large, flat taillights float outside sideways from the grille, again accentuating the width of the automobile. The centre exhaust pipe is really a reminder the hybrid automobile includes a thermal engine for extended-range effective at bringing the very best of both worlds, reduced pollution with hairraising functionality. The busy aerodynamics within the Bertone Jaguar B99 notion is observable within the back spoiler which automatically increases at high rates for additional downforce and reduced air turbulence. At lower speeds it just vanishes back into the trunk-lid.

Bertone Jaguar B99 GT Concept

Interior decorating: refined minimalism

The column less doors open in opposing directions and provide a big, lavish welcome for all who want to enter. The deep, brownish inside is full of leather, 1 with the extra opaque, huge grain finish and also another with a pearl, semigloss, little grain finish. This dark, lavish ambient is counter with brilliant accents in both high-gloss wood and brushed-aluminum which create a wealth through the inside.

Jaguars are commonly quite individualistic sports cars which privilege driver wants using a dynamic living area. While other luxury sedans are back passenger oriented Jaguars are undoubtedly driver oriented, with a "you will come too" approach for travellers. Beautiful forms are transformed by the relaxing yet responsive environment into powerful controls before your very eyes at just one touch. "Surprise and Joy" are a the main Jaguar DNA.

Once seated the primary element that hits the eye is the broad, flat instrument panel which features a stylish, roll-over, concert piano sensation, with lacquered Ebony Macasar African wood entirely framed in a discreet brushed-aluminum frame which carries the Jaguar signature within the middle. The appearance adds layers of parts to invent a general living area that is an extension of both the business office and also the home. Having less visual noise is really a contemporary manner of redefining luxury, placing pure, refined type and materials above now each of the brassy hightech buttons that fill most luxury-car interiors. In accordance with our "Cats-to-Cars" study, the very temperament of the strong Jaguar cat influenced by its hushed method of searching, where "less is more", absolute quiet prevents any kind of advanced warning before the lightning quick jump assault. So accurate modern exclusiveness in a Jaguar stems from the dearth of visual noise.

As stated above, another classic characteristic of contemporary Jaguars will be the "surprise and joy" attribute which conceals nearly everything only to show the capabilities at fingertip contact. This element enables the motorist the delight of exhibiting to both friends and business colleagues Jaguars' "hidden wealth" and purity of notion. The big central infotainment display is concealed behind the constant wood panel which stretches over the whole instrument panel in order to keep the purity of form and substances when not used. The same holds true for the ultra-lean flat air registers that are hidden deeply within the shadows between the floating "wing" and the principal body of the fascia, covering the whole place from The pillar to A pillar, nearly unnoticed.

The devices are within four, traditional aluminum cylinders which likewise float between the "wing" and the fascia. Each cylinder is full of a ceramic white trumpet-shaped analog dial with concealed numbers, transforming conventional 2D dials into advanced tri-dimensional, backlit sculptures which magically come alive once the start button is pushed. The gear-shift lever is really a related mechanism which has the same cylindrical trumpet form in white that arises out of the centre console in a touch of the finger. When touched, the floating front arm-rest to the centre console moves upwards and forward into an inclined plane, developing a bridge between the wide flat fascia and also the wide longitudinal tunnel.

The door panels were created with an advanced, wood insert with an elegant sculptural motif predicated on the "ripples on the lake". The arm rests found on all door panels are exactly the same as the ones found in the centre cabinet. Each arm-rest has window lift switches and also the driver's door has a multifunction Drive mechanism which vanishes when not in use. Rear passengers can make the most of the floating arm-rest which continues up and around the very top of the rear centre cabinet.

Technology: clean electricity

"Functionality through innovation" is among Jaguars slogans, and now more than ever strong sports cars should find new accountable means to provide both powerful and environmental sustainability. The thermal motor charges while driving allowing for a range of 700 kilometers of highway driving between fillups using a carbon dioxide production of around 30 grams Co2 the Lithiumion batteries / km. The Bertone Jaguar B99 notion too can go in total electric style providing zero-emissions for 100kms.

Jaguar has thrived on such a strong duality for many years, combining the nuances of unique luxury cars perfectly suited to red-carpet evenings and also the predatorlike brute-force of the complete race cars perfectly suited to 24-hour race track punishment. Because of this Bertone has determined to transform the refined B99 luxurious sedan into a GT race track monster.

The carry-over parts of the first sedan (front doors, green house, hood and trunk) are quite noticeable but the 2.5 meter wide-body leaves no question, the race model is equally as wild as every Jaguar in the jungle, prepared to eat the contest living. The total height auto is lowered 100mm compared to the road version, and is offered only 50-mm ground clearance together with a totally flat abdomen for aerodynamic performance. The side spoilers are full of large exhaust side pipes. The trunk spoiler is a conventional bilevel race spoiler. The inside has been entirely emptied and filled with a complete race drivers seat, a security roll cage and some minimalist instruments. The images come in brilliant fluorescent green in comparison with the carbon-fiber and also the body aerodynamics parts.

To be able to satisfy the demanding performance conditions to the monitor, the modular "pure" hybrid method in the B99 has-been altered to contain two additional Lucchi electrical engines for a fourwheel drive layout creating the equivalent of 725 kW, around 980Cv.

Bertone created Jaguars of the past

Jaguar XK 150 - 1957: created in a miniseries of four cars, this coupe was inspired by beauty and was based on the XK 150.

The four passenger, two-door coupe was a rather popular layout at that time and was interpreted with an authentic Jaguar grille, broad side glass and a low beltline with four headlights.

Jaguar Pirana - 1967: based in the infamous E-type, the Jaguar Pirana was introduced at the 1967 London Motor Show. The proportions of the E-type resulted in what was regarded as a design at that time, with a short-tail, long hood and muscled body-side.

Standard 70s wedge-shaped design with hard edges gave a sneak-preview to the current day 5-door coupes which became so well-known some 30 years after.

Bertone Jaguar B99 Concept @ 2011 Geneva Auto Show