Bertone Jet 2+2 « Aston Martins.com

Bertone Jet 2+2

(2012 - 2013)

First seen at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show, the Rapide based Bertone Jet 2+2 was the unquestionably the most elegant and spectacular Aston Martin at the show. It celebrates both the centenary of Aston Martin and also the 60th anniversary of the first colaboration between AM and Bertone, the DB2/4 Spider by Bertone. This unique shooting-brake was commissioned by the private British Aston Martin enthusiast and collector, Barry Weir. Weir took part in the whole development of the project, from the first phases of the styling to the manufacture of the car in the workshop. The project has also had the complete approval from AML in Gaydon who were more than happy to supply the base car .

Bertone Jet 2+2

The Jet 2+2 was manufactured by “Bertone Officina” (Bertone Workshop), a new company department organized as a high fashion atelier, especially created for the production of custom-built models in the historical tradition of Bertone. It rather neatly follows on from the 2004 Bertone Jet 2, a two door shooting brake based on the V12 Vanquish. Bertone Officina offers a “tailor made” service for special customers, but also offers an example of how Bertone could help other manufacturers to vary their own range making custom-built concept cars, exactly as they did in the Fifties and Sixties.

The front grille appears to be identical to that of the Rapide S although the Jet 2+2 was actually based on a regular Rapide with the 470 bhp 5.9 litre V12. It retains the same wheelbase as the donor car as well as the same overall dimensions. The shooting-brake styling makes the muscular yet elegant Jet 2+2 somewhere between an estate and a coupé. It features a sharply raked tailgate, a full length LED strip across the rear and tail lights directly taken from the One-77.

The interior retains four individual seats although rear seat passengers benefit from more headroom than the coupé. Also the two rear seats fold down flat and can be hidden by an electrical controlled double sliding panel giving a completely flat load area with exceptional capacity.

A little later in the year, Jet 2+2 joined the original 1961 Bertone Jet and the 2004 Jet 2 as star exhibits during the Aston Martin Centenary Celebrations at Kensington Palace in July.

Although the owner might have initially planned exclusivity, there were apparently some plans to bring the Jet 2+2 into limited production. A run of ten or less were intended and could have been built by Bertone however, by March 2014, any plans were dashed as the company ceased trading. With the demise of Bertone, Aston Martin Lagonda considered a full production version, the Rapide Shooting Break to be built at Gaydon. But this didn’t come to fruition and AML went on to build the Vanquish Zagato range which included a Shooting Break.