The ultimate italian coachbuilder site
The ultimate italian coachbuilder site
The Jaguar B99 was a concept car designed and developed by the Italian design house Bertone.
The Jaguar B99 name stands for B for Bertone and 99 for Bertone’s 99th year in operation. It was first shown to the public on the Bertone stand at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show. The 4-door saloon was shown in two versions: compact executive (B99) and grand tourer (B99 GT). It was designed by Bertone’s Michael Robinson and Adrian Griffiths and was based more on traditional Jaguars of the Geoff Lawson era compared to more recent Jaguars designed by Ian Callum. The Jaguar B99 was a 4,500 mm (177.2 in) long 4-door saloon with 4 seats constructed of aluminium panels and featured suicide doors. It was only 1,350 mm (53.1 in) high and 1,950 mm (76.8 in) wide and stood on a 2,800 mm (110.2 in) wheelbase. The Jaguar B99 was ready to carry a hybrid power train featuring a 1.4 L engine for range extension purposes with two electric motors of 201 bhp (150 kW; 204 PS) each driving the rear wheels. The car’s maximum output of engine and electric motors should have been 570 bhp (425 kW; 578 PS). Average CO2 emissions were estimated at 30g/km with a claimed 60 mile range electric-only mode. At the end, no powertrain was mounted on the Jaguar B99. Watch our video special here
The Jaguar B99, born out of the partnership between Bertone and Jaguar, emerges as one such extraordinary episode. In an insightful interview with Michael Robinson, the former president of design at Bertone, we unravel the captivating journey of bringing the B99 concept car to life, a journey marked not only by triumphs but also by the industry’s reluctance to embrace change.
Italian coachbuilders, renowned for their craftsmanship and design prowess, have left an indelible mark on the automotive world. The marriage of British engineering excellence with Italian design flair has resulted in some of the most striking and unique Jaguars to date. From the golden age of the XK series to the iconic E-Type and beyond, these coachbuilt creations showcase the collaborative brilliance of two automotive cultures.
Bertone was probably the most innovative and certainly the most courageous coachbuilder in the automotive history. We’ve tried to rank them, here are the 20 greatest concept cars made by Bertone. We are aware that you will not always agree with us, so let us know what are your favourite one’s in the comment section.
The beginning of Bertone Bertone was founded in November 1912, when Giovanni Bertone, then aged 28, opened a workshop specialising in the construction and…
