The saga of whether Bertone will or will not be at the 2008 Geneva Motor Show to debut its Alfa Romeo B.A.T. 11 concept is over. Automotive News Europe is reporting that the Italign design house will display the vehicle you see above in Geneva, just not at the Palexpo where the auto show is taking place. Bertone's Vice Chairperson Marie-Jeanne Bertone told AN that her mother Lilli, who is also Bertone's Chairperson, had cancelled the company's booth at the Geneva show. Unfortunately, it's not yet known where within the city limits of Geneva the car will debut. We assume it will be a shady part of town and a password might be required to get in. Despite the highly unorthodox unveiling, the B.A.T. 11 looks every bit as dynamic as the original B.A.T. concepts from which it takes inspiration. Being that it's based on the Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione platform, it probably goes like stink, too. We'll do our best to infiltrate the Swiss underground scene and bring you back some live shots.
[Source: Automotive News Europe, sub. req'd]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
ehisforadam @ Mar 3rd 2008 2:39PM
The 1950s called, they want their concept car back.
wormyguy @ Mar 3rd 2008 4:49PM
That's kind of the point . . .
garlinski @ Mar 3rd 2008 2:49PM
i think i jsut threw up... nope, that's really on my screen... turn it off, turn it off!!!!!
zamafir @ Mar 3rd 2008 2:51PM
Hot, count me in :)
Allen @ Mar 3rd 2008 2:52PM
Batmovette!
Yggdrasilly @ Mar 3rd 2008 3:00PM
"Atomic batteries to full power...turbines to speed..."
"Roger, ready to move out."
Yago Bal @ Mar 3rd 2008 3:00PM
Love it! :) a great nod to the original BATs
Red @ Mar 3rd 2008 3:00PM
What's with all the American-retro-inspired designs from the Europeans? Ewww.
Derek @ Mar 3rd 2008 5:28PM
Nope that's European-retro-inspired. Bertone penned the original B.A.T. design way back then.
meshies @ Mar 3rd 2008 3:03PM
I need more pictures of the thing!!! MOAR!
Kent Mackey @ Mar 3rd 2008 3:21PM
Looks like an old vette hiding under a car cover.
studemax @ Mar 3rd 2008 3:33PM
NO! All the angles and edges defeat the original concepts of BAT's in voluptous curves and sweeping lines.
This is a bastard child.
PJ @ Mar 3rd 2008 3:46PM
Really? .... really?
Come on, you guys have never seen the old BAT concepts? This is a gorgeous retro nod to those forward-thinking designs!
Derek @ Mar 3rd 2008 5:33PM
I swear the average poster on here must be 15 or just never look at anything other than Autoblog. Seriously, the first B.A.T. concept was made when my dad was 5 but I still know about them. My only complaint is that this might look too much like the original designs.
I also wonder if they were able to improve on the 0.19 drag coefficient number I hear for the best of the original concepts.
KKBat @ Mar 3rd 2008 3:49PM
There is so much more to this car... the inspiration, the purpose, the mission.
It's a shame no one knows the full story.
Mr X @ Mar 3rd 2008 4:15PM
This is the Pink panther mobile
Jawa @ Mar 3rd 2008 4:24PM
Aren't concept car supposed to be about the wild and crazy? I like it, even if does hark back to the '50s. This one can stand to be retro and futuristic at the same time...
Yago Bal @ Mar 3rd 2008 4:38PM
Of course it harks back to the 50's!!! :S
Everybody has 5 seconds to post a lame comment here, but no one has the same 5 seconds to google and instruct himself a bit before commenting...
(Sorry, Jawa: it's not directed specifically at you.)
Ralph @ Mar 3rd 2008 4:56PM
It's the GRX, the fastest car in the world! Ah! Oh! Ah!
http://www.rixrobots.com/JLIGHT02.jpg
Derek @ Mar 3rd 2008 5:28PM
No, it's a retro inspired redux of the previous B.A.T. concepts that have been made, dating back to 1953.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfa_Romeo_BAT
More likely Speedracer stole the look from Bertone than the other way around.