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(from Bertone Press
Release) BERTONE JAGUAR B 99
A historic brand in
automotive. A historic signature in design. Put the two together and
you get an explosive new concept car called the Jaguar B99 which
Bertone will present in its world premiere at the Geneva Motor Show.
The name B99 stands for
B as in Bertone and 99 for the company near 100 year anniversary in
2012, one of the oldest design companies in the world. The concept
projects Jaguar's classic style into the future with refined Bertone
elegance, exploring a fascinating new form language with a “dynamic
imbalance” between parallel lines and leaping forms. The result is a
compact, four-door sedan (4.5 m long, 1.35 m tall, 1.95 m wide, 2.8
m wheelbase) that fits perfectly into the D segment. Starting with a
classic three-volume architecture, Bertone designers have shaped the
taut, muscular body with bold yet refined character, entirely
constructed with handmade aluminum panels in true Italian
“coachbuilder” tradition. The unique personality of the luxury
sports sedan is emphasized by the sophisticated minimalism outside
and in, underlining the true nature of the British authenticity
where understatement equals exclusiveness.
Bertone will present not
only the luxury sedan in Geneva but also a full GT2 race version,
maintaining the exceptional “double soul” tradition of the Jaguar
brand, adding high speed aerodynamic appendages and aggressive
graphics for continued success on the race track.
In terms of
technological innovation, the B99 uses a pure hybrid power system
designed and developed by Bertone Energy (the newest Bertone
division dedicated to renewable energy research), including a
thermal engine for range extension and two electric motors which
provide propulsion for the rear wheels. Bertone has been studying
ecologically sustainable powertrain systems for the past twenty
years, with many examples including full-electric "extreme" concept
cars like the 1992 Blitz or 1994 Zer record car, which was the first
full-electric car to break the 300 km/h speed barrier in the world.
With the 2011 Jaguar B99
concept car, Bertone establishes a new record in its 99 year history
as the only Italian designer to have created five different Jaguars.
The previous models are the 1957 XK 150, produced in a limited
edition of four copies, the 1966 Jaguar FT concept car, the 1967
Jaguar Pirana, and 1977Jaguar Ascot.
“Britishness”: a Jaguar at heart
Start from the brand.
This is the concept that Mike Robinson, Bertone Brand & Design
Director, gives his design team for every project. As an outside
design source Bertone must do a lot of catching up on what in-house
designers take for granted: a deep knowledge of what their brand
was, is, and will be. So Robinsons’ team began in late October 2010
with a pre-sketch research program called: “From Cats to Cars”,
exploring all the possible analogies coming from this spectacular
feline from Central and South America. In fact ancient Aztecs and
Mayans worshipped this noble predator for its cunning tactics and
sheer power, calling it “Jaguar”, meaning "he who kills with one
leap".
These big cats can reach
160kgs and are very stocky with powerful but short legs designed
specifically for a silent, “stalk and ambush” approach to hunting,
sneaking slowly through the bushes low to the ground until their
powerful pounce concludes the hunt. This stealth or silent approach
to hunting is very different from other large feline species who run
down their prey with long agile legs like the Cheetah. The Jaguar
has an oversized head with an exceptionally powerful jaw capable of
crushing skulls.
Today the modern symbol
of the Jaguar automobile manufacturer brand is the infamous
“leaper”, a chrome image which poises the elegant animal in a
powerful jump forward with all the weight centered on the rear hips
projecting the enormous cat forward with lightning fast speed. The
big head is stretched out ready to grab the un-expecting prey. This
icon has conditioned Jaguar car design for decades and continues to
weigh strongly on the overall balance and proportions of Jaguar
automobiles past, present, and future. Unlike other high performance
sports cars, Jaguars are designed for “wofting” or floating down the
boulevard in silent grace.
So every Jaguar must be
smooth and silent and lightning fast, yet still a most elegant and
noble automobile. The visual metaphors between the animal the
company name represents, the logo, and the milestone cars from the
past are extremely important for our understanding of the Jaguar
brand. An old Jaguar slogan was: “Grace, Space, & Pace”. Bertone
research for the B99 concept could be summed up in: “Cunning Glamour
with Race-Bred Innovation.”
Dynamic Imbalance
The first thing that
strikes the observer about the B99 concept car is not a high tail -
low nose wedge shape like most modern sport sedans. In fact the
traditional three volume architecture has headlights and taillights
that are roughly the same height from the ground. The beltline and
the rocker panel are perfectly parallel. Still, the cars’ form
language is all but horizontal. The muscles on the B99 are tight,
like a sprinter seconds before the gun shot, or a jaguar ready to
pounce. In fact the bodyside seems like it is leaping forward. This
contrast between “linear and leaping” is the secret of “dynamic
imbalance”, the evolutionary trend which suggests a possible Jaguar
design language of the future.
The front end starts
with the forward leaning Jaguar grille which now looks down on the
road showing the “British confidence” Jaguars have always had. The
angle of the grill is likened to a slingshot, which naturally tends
to angle forward in order to counterbalance the tension of the
powerful payload about to be launched. This tension visually extends
the hood, and when combined with the high position of the
headlights, gives the B99 front end a superior stance from any
angle, hinting at classic Jaguar grilles from the past without
renouncing the modernity and the glamour of its futuristic luxury,
conveying a feeling of motion and agility.
Above the grille we have
replaced the classic leaping jaguar . Thanks to advanced technology,
motion sensors anticipate the vicinity of any object (or person)
that comes close and electric motors will pull it down under the
level of the hood in a fraction of a second (think airbag deployment
speed) before any damage can be done to the pedestrian.
The body side of the car
is characterized by an extremely long wheelbase (2.8m) with a
classic short front overhang and a long rear one. The traditional
three volume greenhouse has been shortened (about 75% of the
wheelbase). and lowered, now seems to be sunken down into the body,
like a Jaguar stalking its prey, offering an extremely modern
glass-to-mass relationship. Another demonstration of “dynamic
imbalance” which transmits both mystery and glamour. The B99 has the
visual center of gravity placed “on” the rear wheel, where the C
pillar meets the body and where the powerful hip muscle launches the
car forward towards the front grille. Rear view mirrors are
futuristic, ultra-thin chrome wings with tiny video cameras that
protrude out from the beltline trim molding.
The extra wide stance
seen from the rear end is especially important in a car with so much
plan view taper. The powerful hips are poised and ready to pounce,
demonstrating the silent power the car exudes. The rear grille is
very similar to the front grille, with the same floating gloss black
insert which carries the round Jaguar logo, but without the chrome
frame. The same high, horizontal taillights float out sideways from
the rear grille, again accentuating the exceptional width of the
vehicle. The wide center exhaust pipe is a reminder that the hybrid
vehicle has a thermal engine for extended range capable of bringing
the best of both worlds, low pollution with hair-raising
performance. The active aerodynamics in the B99 is visible in the
rear spoiler which automatically rises at high speeds for extra
downforce and reduced air turbulence. At lower speeds it simply
disappears back into the trunklid.
Interior design: refined
minimalism
The pillar less doors
open in opposing directions and offer a large, luxurious welcome for
all who desire to enter. The deep, dark brown interior is rich in
two-tone leather, one with an extra opaque, big grain finish and the
other with a pearl, semi-gloss, small grain finish. This dark,
luxurious ambient is offset with bright accents in both brushed
aluminum and high gloss wood which generate a hidden richness
throughout the interior.
Jaguars are typically
very individualistic sports cars which privilege driver needs with a
dynamic living space. While other luxury sedans are rear passenger
oriented Jaguars are definitely driver oriented, with a “you can
come too” attitude for passengers. This hand crafted cockpit has a
“built up” look using prestigious materials wherever you look, touch
or smell, taking perceived quality to higher levels. The relaxing
yet responsive environment transforms beautiful forms into high
performance controls before your very eyes at a single touch.
“Surprise and Delight” are part of the Jaguar DNA.
Once seated the first
component that strikes the eye is the wide, horizontal instrument
panel which has an elegant, wrap-over, concert piano feeling, with
lacquered Ebony Macasar African wood completely framed in a discreet
brushed aluminum frame which carries the Jaguar signature in the
center. The built-up look adds layers of components to formulate an
overall living space which is an extension of both the wealthy home
and the business office. The lack of visual noise is a modern way of
redefining luxury, putting pure, refined form and materials above
all the flashy high-tech buttons that fill most luxury car interiors
today. According to our “Cats-to-Cars” research, the very nature of
the powerful Jaguar cat is based on its silent approach to hunting,
where “less is more”, total silence avoids any form of advanced
warning until the lightning fast leap attack. So true modern
exclusiveness in a Jaguar comes from the lack of visual noise.
As mentioned above,
another classic characteristic of modern Jaguars is the “surprise
and delight” feature which hides almost everything only to reveal
the functions at finger-tip touch. This aspect allows the driver the
pleasure of demonstrating to both friends and business colleagues
Jaguars’ “hidden riches” and purity of idea. The large central
infotainment screen is hidden behind the continuous wood panel which
stretches across the entire instrument panel so as to maintain the
purity of form and materials when not in use. The same is true for
the ultra-slim horizontal air registers which are hidden deep in the
shadows between the floating “wing” and the main body of the fascia,
covering the entire area from A pillar to A pillar, virtually
unnoticed.
The instruments are all
found in four, classic aluminum cylinders which also float between
the “wing” and the fascia. Each cylinder is filled with a ceramic
white trumpet shaped analog dial with hidden numbers, transforming
traditional 2D dials into innovative tridimensional, backlit
sculptures which magically come to life when the start button is
pushed. The gear shift lever is a similar mechanism which has the
same cylindrical trumpet shape in ceramic white that comes up out of
the center console at a touch of the finger. Externally the
mechanism serves as an automatic transmission gear shifter but
internally serves a mouse command for the hidden infotainment
system. When touched, the floating front arm rest on the center
console moves forward and upward into an inclined plane, creating a
visual bridge between the wide longitudinal tunnel and the wide
horizontal fascia.
The door panels are
designed with an innovative, wood insert with an elegant sculptural
motif based on the “ripples on a lake”. The floating arm rests found
on all four door panels are the same as those found on the center
console. Each arm rest has window lift switches and the driver’s
door has a multi-function Drive mechanism which disappears when not
in use. Rear passengers can take advantage of the floating arm rest
which continues up and over the top of the rear center console. This
beautifully detailed piece of modern furniture not only acts as a
multi-purpose arm rest but also slides out to hold two Champaign
bottles in a refrigerated compartment.
Technology: clean power
“Performance through
innovation” is one of Jaguars slogans, and today more than ever
powerful sports cars must find new responsible ways to offer both
high performance and ecological sustainability. The B99 is powered
by a modular, Extended Range Hybrid system which futuristic utilizes
twin 150kW (204 Cv) electric engines connected to the inboard side
of the rear axle for propulsion and a lightweight 1.400 cm3 thermal
engine producing 125 kW-170 Cv for range extension, giving a
combined power output of 425 kW or 570 Cv. The thermal engine
charges the Lithium-ion batteries while driving allowing for a
theoretical range of 700 kilometers of highway driving between
fill-ups with a carbon dioxide output of around 30 g Co2/km. The B99
can also travel in full electric mode offering zero emissions for
100kms.
Bertone designed Jaguars of the
past
As the only Italian
designer to penned five Jaguars, over and above the two concept cars
presented this year at the Geneva Auto Show, Bertone has a long
history of collaboration with the elitist British brand:
Jaguar XK 150 – 1957:
produced in a mini-series of four automobiles, this coupé was based
on the XK 150 and was inspired by subtle elegance. The bodyside was
characterized by sculpted lines coming from the front fender, the
greenhouse was shortened but was also very light and airy, almost a
classic Bertone signature at the time.
Jaguar FT – 1966:
designed as a direct request from Jaguar, the FT was based on the S
Type platform and was presented at the 1966 Geneva Auto Show. The
four passenger, two door coupé was a very popular layout at the time
and was interpreted with a low beltline, wide side glass and an
original Jaguar grille with four headlights.
Jaguar Pirana – 1967:
based on the legendary E Type, the Jaguar Pirana was presented at
the 1967 London Motor Show. The unmistakable proportions of the E
Type led to what was considered a futuristic design at the time,
with long hood, a short tail and muscled bodyside.
Jaguar Ascot – 1977:
based on the XJ-S platform with a V12 engine, the Jaguar Ascot was
presented at the 1977 Geneva Auto Show. Typical 70s wedge shaped
design with hard edges gave a sneak preview to the modern day 5 door
coupés which became so popular some 30 years later.
