Bertone's Baby-Jaguar B99 Concept Looks Surprisingly Good

[Updated with high-res pictures] After the teaser image we showed you earlier today, the first three images of Bertone's design study for a compact Jaguar, hit the web. Dubbed B99 (for the 99th anniversary of Bertone) the eye-catching concept car has a sleek coupe profile, even though it's a four-door sedan. The suicide doors give it a distinctive appearance, but if Jaguar were to build a production model, it's unlikely that they would remain.

While it might look like a long limousine, the Italian design house's B99 concept is just 4.5 meters long. Combine this with the very low height (1.35 meters) and the pretty wide body (1.95 meters) and you have a small sedan looking like a much bigger and more luxurious model, whose profile brings to mind the classic Jaguar XJ.

The very thin A-pillars, the narrow windows and the short front overhang give the car a dynamic yet classy look, while the front and the rear mirror each other, with very thin headlights/taillights and an oval grille whose form is replicated in the back. Inside, the B99 appears to offer a classy environment, mixing brushed aluminium with leather and polished African walnut trim.

Under the hood, the concept sports sedan is said to feature a newly developed full-hybrid drive, but further details remain unknown.

By Dan Mihalascu

Via Autobild

_______________________________GALLERY_______________________________

Bertone to Debut B99 Jaguar Concept for a BMW 3-Series Rival in Geneva

Whispers of a new design study for a Jaguar model from Bertone have been going around lately, but today, a teaser image surfaced online providing us with our first peek at the car, which is named B99 (Bertone 99) and is set to premiere at next month's Geneva Motor Show.

The B99 is a conceptual proposal for a 'baby' Jaguar model targeting the likes of the BMW 3-Series and Mercedes C-Class saloons. The concept will feature a traditional four-door sedan body with more classic proportions and styling cues than the XJ and XF.

If the reviews for the B99 are positive, the concept could form the base for the creation of a production model that will sit right under the XF, providing Jaguar with a new entry-level model. Just recently, the British automaker's new global director, Adrian Hallmark, confirmed that Jaguar is indeed considering a smaller model to increase the company's sales.

Photo via es.Autoblog & Autoblog.it

Malignant Rumors: Jaguar Considering 2,000 Units a Year of Turbine-Powered C-X75 Halo Car

Malignant Rumors: Jaguar Considering 2,000 Units a Year of Turbine-Powered C-X75 Halo Car

Friday, October 08, 2010 | Categories | Jaguar, Jaguar Concepts, Paris Auto Show, Reports |

8 Comments

As Porsche begins development on the hybrid 918 Spyder, Jaguar is reportedly taking the idea of a limited-run production version of its Paris Motor Show C-X75 concept into consideration. Autoweek reports that the British luxury marque is discussing the possibility of building up to 2,000 units annually of its XJ220 successor. If you're thinking about getting the checkbook out anytime soon, though, hold it right there.

First, due to production methods and costs, a firm number has to be decided on in regards to the C-X75's volume. Then, over the next five to seven years, Jaguar will try to prove its futuristic micro gas turbines - which are actually cheaper to develop than an internal combustion engine - are feasible for a consumer vehicle.

Tony Harper, head of advanced powertrain development for Jaguar, says, "We're talking two to three years for implementation of the gas-turbine technology, then another three to four years to integrate into a vehicle."

Should this timeline be believed and the bookkeepers give Jag a green light, we could begin seeing mules of the futuristic turbine-powered supercar as early as 2012 or 2013. Don't worry; by 2017 the Matt Beaven-penned C-X75 should still be looking fresh.

By Phil Alex

Source: Autoweek

_______________________________GALLERY_______________________________

Malignant Rumors: Jaguar Considering 2,000 Units a Year of Turbine-Powered C-X75 Halo Car

As Porsche begins development on the hybrid 918 Spyder, Jaguar is reportedly taking the idea of a limited-run production version of its Paris Motor Show C-X75 concept into consideration. Autoweek reports that the British luxury marque is discussing the possibility of building up to 2,000 units annually of its XJ220 successor. If you're thinking about getting the checkbook out anytime soon, though, hold it right there.

First, due to production methods and costs, a firm number has to be decided on in regards to the C-X75's volume. Then, over the next five to seven years, Jaguar will try to prove its futuristic micro gas turbines - which are actually cheaper to develop than an internal combustion engine - are feasible for a consumer vehicle.

Tony Harper, head of advanced powertrain development for Jaguar, says, "We're talking two to three years for implementation of the gas-turbine technology, then another three to four years to integrate into a vehicle."

Should this timeline be believed and the bookkeepers give Jag a green light, we could begin seeing mules of the futuristic turbine-powered supercar as early as 2012 or 2013. Don't worry; by 2017 the Matt Beaven-penned C-X75 should still be looking fresh.

By Phil Alex

Source: Autoweek

_______________________________GALLERY_______________________________