2011 Bertone B99

Bertone and Jaguar have joined forces again, and the result is this lovely little concept called the B99. Celebrating 99 years of existence, Bertone's B99 is meant to showcase what a Jaguar 3-Series could look like (and thankfully there's no silly black C-pillar as found on the XJ). While some may disagree with this design's placement in the lineup, one thing is certain: an X-Type this ain't.

The B99 measures 4.5 meters long, 1.35 m tall, and 1.95 m wide with a 2.8 m wheelbase. As befits all Jaguars, there's a leaper on the hood; this time, though, it uses some snazzy pedestrian safety sensors that can retract it at airbag speeds should an impaling be imminent. Think of it as dab of Rolls with your Jaguar.

There's more retraction action at the trunk end of things, too, with a speed-sensing spoiler in the trunk.

Inside are a slew of "hidden riches", as per Bertone. Examples of these little ditties include a hideaway multimedia screen, "Ebony Macasar African Wood", and air vents hidden behind the wraparound wing that floats above the dash. Suspended between the wing and the dashboard are "trumpet" gauges wrapped in aluminum. This unique style also carries over to the transmission shifter/infotainment controller which rises up from the center console.

Now, about those sexy seats; they're definitely Jaguar with their flip-down trays, but with an added touch of flair. Also, all four seats are nestled between their own floating armrests, adding an "at home in the recliner" feel to this luxury sports sedan.

Power comes from an extended range hybrid unit developed by Bertone Energy; in the B99, this system utilizes two 150 kW / 201 hp motors housed at the rear axle and a range-extending 1.4-liter, 125 kW / 168 hp gasoline engine. With their powers combined, these power units create an impressive 425 kW / 570 hp while returning a potential 700 km / 435 mile range (100 km / 62 miles in EV mode) and only emitting 30 grams of CO2 per kilometer.

Also showing up in Geneva is a 2.5 meter wide B99 GT, forecasting a potential track fighter. Not only is it wider, it also sits 100 mm lower and has 50 mm of space between its washboard stomach and the pavement. Also, it gets two more electric motors up front for an all-wheel drive system and 725 total kilowatts (972 hp). You can see most of the other mods, along the with standard B99, in the gallery below.

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Geneva 2011: Lotus Keeps its Evora Debuts Simple but Significant with Mansory in the Mix

After Lotus blew its proverbial head gaskets all over the Paris stage with a futuristic lineup consisting of a sedan and no less than four coupes, simplicity was the name of the game for the 2011 Geneva motor show. Lotus brought two special edition Evoras, a relatively low-key showing in stark contrast to its behavior in France last year.

Before you roll your eyes thinking, "Christ, another special edition blah blah blah," one of these two new Evoras is very different than another special edition Mustang or Bugatti.

The Mansory Evora comes from the union of two weight-conscious companies; Lotus prides itself on keeping its vehicles trim, while Mansory "provides valuable insights and an intuitive feeling for [high-end customisation]" while also offering "state-of-the-art carbon components".

Mansory's Lotus is dubbed the Lotus Bespoke Concept and is kind of a big deal because it establishes a relationship between a respected manufacturer and well-known tuner. You may recall Mansory from their various efforts tackling high-end vehicle customization. If all goes well, we just might be witnessing the next in-house tuner coming around.

Lotus calls the Mansory Evora an "Individualization Concept Car"; with it, the industry's resident featherweight hopes to develop its own "Exclusive" / "Individual" program for customer's seeking a coachbuilt feel. The other Evora isn't as significant consumer-wise as the Mansory model, but is important nonetheless.

The Evora Enduro GT concept is an evolution of the current Lotus Evora GT4 Endurance and will serve as the platform from which FIA and ACO GT2/GTE racers will be built. That means we'll likely see this at a variety of upcoming 24-hour enduros including the Nürburgring, Spa, and Silverstone.

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