Created www.austin-rover.co.uk in 2001 and built it up to become the world's foremost reference source for all things BMC, Leyland and Rover Group, before renaming it AROnline in 2007.
Is the Editor of the Parkers website and price guide, formerly editor of Classic Car Weekly, and launch editor/creator of Modern Classics magazine. Has contributed to various motoring titles including Octane, Practical Classics, Evo, Honest John, CAR magazine, Autocar, Pistonheads, Diesel Car, Practical Performance Car, Performance French Car, Car Mechanics, Jaguar World Monthly, MG Enthusiast, Modern MINI, Practical Classics, Fifth Gear Website, Radio 4, and the the Motoring Independent...
Likes 'conditionally challenged' motors and taking them on unfeasible adventures all across Europe.
The B99 is, without doubt, the car I’m looking forward to seeing most – it’s re-opened the whole debate on how a Jaguar should look.
Two thoughts occur:
The Bertone 2600 and Giulia coupes – Giugiaro’s work – were a significant influence on the final shape of the original XJ6. A bit of reciprocal hommage there, I think, or possibly an attempt by Bertone to re-assert their role in shaping the most enduring Jaguar shape of all.
Looking at these pillarless sides, rear-hinged doors and frameless windows, I wonder how the engineers who never got the pillarless XJC quite right would have coped with such complexity.
Yes, it’s great – I will happily test this car for several years if someone at Jaguar wants to lend me one. I promise I won’t complain. Oh Lord, won’t you buy me a Jaguar Bertone…
By the way, this doesn’t mean I don’t like the other current Jags – although I prefer the XF to the XJ.
Alex.
I love the Bertone B99 more now that I’ve seen the video. I do, however, still love the XF and XJ. I have seen a lot on my travels and they real do stand out amongst the vast number of German alternatives.
I reckon that, as a range topper with a healthy price tag of say just over £100k, the B99 could become a lucrative flagship for JLR. Their current success is down to the huge investment made by Ford in its Design and Engineering Department. This is the ideal car to attract aspiring Millionaires from emerging markets such as China and India who, as we all know, currently have a healthy appetite for luxury Western automotive brands.
This looks nice but it’s RETRO. The same journalists and even the three stooges on Top Gear who love this were also slagging off Jaguar for making retro-looking cars. Talk about you can’t win…
The new XF and XJ are the way ahead for Jaguar.
Have you seen the images of the racing version on Bertone’s own website? Just click on any of the image files listed in the left hand column…
No, don’t do it Jaguar – if you must give your mostly American fans a retro Jag call it a Daimler… Give the rest of us an Ian Callum-inspired design.
It’s a superb design, really striking. It looks more Maserati than Jaguar to me, but that’s not a bad thing.
I absolutely love it! I’ve never considered buying an X-TYPE, mostly because it’s too small for my taste but it is also the one Jaguar that never felt quite right, in proportions and interior.
However, the Bertone B99 is so gorgeous size couldn’t matter less. I realise it is extremely unlikely that it will reach production but I want it so badly I can hardly think of anything else. Makes me fantasise of a better world in which Jaguar was in a position to do whatever they wanted economy-wise and would be able to produce this alongside the “regular” line-up – a bit like the Rolls-Royce Camargue but for the D-segment instead of the absolute top.
I would very much like to know more about the extraordinary Mr. Callum’s involvement in this project – the Bertone Press Release made no mention of it.
Where do I sign? I want one now! You can keep your every other car lookalikes like the XF and the XJ – this is a stunner!