Earlier this month we reported that Jaguar is working on a replacement for its largely-unloved X-Type saloon. Now a series of design sketches have been released showing the gist of an eagerly-awaited replacement that will appear in concept form at the upcoming Geneva motor show next month.
The design penned by well-known Italian design house Bertone, which celebrates its centenary next year. This explains the reasoning behind this svelte-looking concept’s name – B99 for Bertone 99.
Although Jaguar’s B99 design concept might look like a sizeable saloon it’s only 4,5 meters long, 1,95 metres wide and 1,35 metres tall. Dimensions that will pit it against the leaders in the market, cars such as the Mercedes-Benz C-Class and BMW 3-Series
The overall design has some strong XJ cues, especially the front and the rear, but it manages to be refreshing at the same time with the designers opting not to go for the saloon-coupé design that seems to be the flavour of many luxury offerings of late. Among the most noteworthy features are the low roofline and a clamshell door arrangement that nixes the b-pillar in favour of a capacious entrance to the cabin. Whether or not If these doors will make it into the production model, due 2012-13, remains to be seen.
The Bertone 99 could well point to a new design direction for Jaguar. Bertone design director Mike Robinson has pointed out that the design moves away from the current luxury car trend which sees surfaces adorned with several, instead favouring a clean and subtle design. According to Robinson, the interior will follow the exterior’s smooth lines. Robinson also drew a comparison with the iPad, hinting that the interior treatment will favour smooth surfaces and touch interfaces over buttons, which would otherwise clutter the facia.
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