Bertone revived with a new GB110 hypercar
THE BERTONE GB110
FOR ITS 110TH ANNIVERSARY, BERTONE UNVEILS ITS FIRST LIMITED- EDITION HYPERCAR
Summary
Building on more than a century of Italian automotive history, Bertone is now starting a new era as a coachbuilder of limited-edition ultra high-end sports cars.
Bertone’s passionate new owners are Mauro and Jean-Franck Ricci. They are continuing the history of the coachbuilder and design house, founded in 1912 and widely recognized for shaping some of the world's most iconic sports cars.
Mauro and Jean-Franck Ricci, with 38 years of experience in engineering and automotive, and having established one of the most successful engineering consultancies within mobility, are now merging the invaluable Bertone design heritage with high performance automotive engineering.
The first in a series of limited edition vehicles, the GB110 is marking the 110th anniversary, and the beginning of a new chapter in the Bertone history.
The GB110 is also the first high performance car that will be supplied with fuel made out of plastic waste, a significant innovation in the automotive industry.
1. GB110, the hypercar fueled by plastic waste continuing 110 years of Bertone automotive history
Bertone, one of the most universally recognized Italian successes in automotive history, is continuing its legacy. The first in a series of limited edition hypercars,the GB110, is marking the 110th anniversary and the start of a new era for Bertone.
The GB110 is a limited-edition state-of-the-art hypercar, designed for breathtaking performance while at the same time paying homage to pioneering Bertone designs from the 60’s and 70’s. With 1100 hp and 1100 Nm max torque, and a unique design the GB110 aims to be an automotive work of art. Only 33 units will be produced.
“ The GB110 is an immensely powerful car.” says Jean-Franck Ricci, CEO of Bertone. “What we are looking for is a strong acceleration and low weight for a maximum of pleasure. But at the same time it’s designed for everyday use and built with ergonomics and comfort in mind.”
“We are building this car for customers that appreciate the history and legacy of Bertone. And for connoisseurs who love sports cars with exceptional performance. It’s not only about raw power and performance.It’s about celebrating the long Italian tradition of timeless elegant cars.”
Bertone is the oldest Italian design coachbuilder, founded in 1912 by Giovanni Bertone.
After World War II Giuseppe “Nuccio” Bertone took over his father’s coachbuilding business, and from the 1950’ onwards he succeeded in attracting talented designers like Giorgetto Giugiaro, Marcello Gandini and Franco Scaglioni. Nuccio Bertone offered them optimal opportunities to do outstanding work, and together they created a string of automotive classics, universally considered high points of vehicle design.
Bertone is widely recognized for shaping famous sports cars such as the Lamborghini Countach, the Alfa Romeo Montreal, Aston Martin DB2/4 Bertone Spider, and Lamborghini Miura. Beyond designing some of the most iconic vehicles ever produced, Bertone also fashioned a large number of high volume cars with groundbreaking designs for leading car manufacturers.
And, besides doing car styling, Bertone throughout its history also manufactured cars, from the luxury vehicles produced in the 20s and 30s to later high volume models in the 70s and 80s, up until 2000.
The marque has been lying dormant in recent years. Now it is being revived and reinvented by the passionate new owners Mauro and Jean-Franck Ricci.
Mauro and Jean-Franck Ricci acquired the rights to Bertone in 2020. Based on 38 years of experience in engineering and automotive, having established one of the most successful engineering consultancies worldwide within mobility, Mauro and Jean-Franck Ricci decided to merge the invaluable Bertone design heritage with high performance automotive engineering.
The GB110 is the first in a series of limited edition ultra high-end sports cars from Bertone. Merging Italian elegance with breathtaking performance, the GB110 marks both the marque’s 110th anniversary and the start of a new era for Bertone as a ultra high-end car coachbuilder.
A fuel made from plastic waste
The GB110 is the first hypercar that will be supplied with fuel made from plastic waste.
Bertone is partnering with the company Select Fuel which has developed a patented technology to convert polycarbonate materials into renewable fuel.
“We believe that de-pollution will require different solutions with combinations of technologies. Plastic waste needs to be treated as a valuable resource. Through our partnership with Select Fuel we take what was once waste and convert it back into its original form.” says Jean-Franck Ricci, CEO of Bertone.
2. Mauro and Jean-Franck Ricci
With a total of 38 years' experience in the global industry, with an emphasis on technologies, land, and air mobility, Mauro and Jean-Franck Ricci have worked with over 22,000 engineers, including 7,000 in the automotive sector, to make a shared dream a reality.
Their work has covered the entire automotive production cycle, from research and style to innovative development and testing.
By directing influential projects, Mauro and Jean-Franck Ricci have been able to exceed the expectations of some of the world's most prestigious manufacturers, such as Daimler, Volkswagen group, Stellantis and Renault, to name just a few.
3. The GB110
a. Design
Project & Design Manager Giovanni Sapio:
Design and Legacy
“The GB110 is continuing Bertone’s automotive legacy and is a contemporary interpretation of the Bertone DNA. It’s paying homage to pioneering Bertone designs from the 50’s and 70’s, merging the soft, rounded lines of the 50s with 70’s style sharp edges.
The GB110 has a sensual, flowing shape continuing the aesthetics of cars like the Alfa BAT series, while also taking design cues from later wedge shaped cars such as the Carabo and Stratos Zero. For instance, these two cars have inspired the apex claw on the rear wheel arch of the GB110, that embraces the passenger compartment.
Also, the glass door, an extreme design effect on the 1967 Marzal, or again the Stratos Zero is re- proposed in smaller dimensions on the doors. These doors feature kinematics that guarantee a vertical opening movement, a solution that not only looks spectacular but also celebrates the extrovert character of Bertone.”
Quintessentially Italian
“The car is quintessentially Italian, both outside and inside. It has Italian class and style, and it is built to excite its owner and to ignite the passion of sports car aficionados. But at the same time, it’s built for everyday use. It’s practical, comfortable, and easy to manage, without exasperating its sportiness.
From the outset we decided to follow a unifying concept in the design of the GB110, and that concept is The Italian Gentleman. And what does that mean exactly? Well, we want the car to convey a sense of complex elegance, sportiness, and passion. Its refinement and style, fluid lines, and muscular appearance packed together.The car presents itself with prominent muscles distributed in an elegant and refined manner. There is immense power under the hood, no doubt, but it’s wrapped in luxury and beauty. We want to create an automotive work of art that you can take along with you.”
Complex Elegance
“The car is designed to radiate the concept of complex elegance, and to look powerful from all angles: The front and rear are harmonised in a combination of concave and convex forms, and of tensed muscles intended to enhance the agility of the object.
From the top view we certainly notice the car's floor plan, which from the front wheel arches tends to taper into the side air intakes that lead air to the engine's radiators, together with an air curtain generated by a bridge driving the airflow on the back of the car. Also shouting out from above are the rear wheel arches that accommodate 335/25 22 tyres, which in pair with the front (255/30 21) transfer all the horsepower generated by the powertrain to the ground. It was precisely the rear end that had to be wide enough to excite those watching from behind the car.
In the design of the GB110, form follows function.There are no purely aesthetic embellishments. In fact, every air inlet and every other technical element on the car has a function.”
b. Technical specifications & features
- Max Power: 1100 hp
- Max Torque: 1100 N/m
- Maximum round per minute: 8400 rpm
- 0-100 in 2.79s
- 0-200 in 6.79s
- 0-300 in 14s
- The maximum speed will be over 380 KM/H
- Traction: All Wheel Drive
- Gearshift: 7 gears
- Forged wheels, 335/25 R 22” tyres back; 255/30 R 21” tyres front
- The development of the chassis is based on components from a German manufacturer
- Wheelbase: 2630 mm
- In spite of its very high performance the car still complies with the latest Euro 6 regulations
- Combustion Engine
- Front and rear suspensions: Independent Double Wishbones, Coil Springs, Anti Rollbar with 4 way dampening adjustment. This will grant the owner the possibility to fully personalise and set up the vehicle to every possible use case
4. Bertone history
1912 - From Carradore to Carrozziere
The Carrozzeria Bertone story begins with Giovanni Bertone in 1912 in Turin. He specialised in the construction of horse-drawn carriages and quickly gained attention for his impeccable quality and artisanal craftsmanship.
1920 - A Period of Growth
In an exciting decade for the evolution of industrial style and design, Giovanni Bertone began expanding his small craft workshop to establish the Bertone name within the automotive sector.
His first assignment as a coachbuilder was a torpedo on a chassis of a SPA 23S, producing a car with a distinct sporting character.
1930 - International Success
This led to international success, with the design of the Lancia Artena in 1932 and onboarding of Giovanni Bertone's son, "Nuccio" Bertone in 1933. Bringing with him a new level of design innovation, it marked a significant point in the Bertone journey.
1940 - Rebuilding The Future
Having pivoted in wartime to military vehicles, Bertone started its reconstruction shortly after WW2. This coincided in 1946 with Nuccio discovering his passion for racing, and his initial participation in a Fiat 500 Barchetta that was prepared in-house at Bertone
1950 - Continued Expansion
In the 1950s came the first orders from countries other than Italy, with the business transforming from a
craft enterprise to one of international reputation. This was made possible through global collaborations with the prestigious likes of Alfa Romeo.
1960 - Making History
The 60s saw Bertone complete an impressive move to a new plant at Gruliasco. Also, the company launched the Fiat 850 Spider, and started its famous partnership with Lamborghini, for which Bertone designed the iconic Miura.
1970 - A Trailblazing Partnership
Bertones iconic partnership with Lamborghini catalysed the development of the Lamborghini Espada. Its initial success led to the eye-catching design of the Lamborghini Countach. The decade also saw Bertone begin working for Volvo, and the creation of the stunning Lancia Stratos.
1980 - Exciting Collaborations
Bertone was now responsible for the production, sales network, and after-sales assistance for the Fiat X1/9, which was followed in 1986 with the signing of a new agreement with General Motors Europe.
1990 - Technological Innovation
Closely after, Bertone entered the 1990s with a focus on technological innovations including the remarkable Blitz Barchetta, a show car that featured an electric engine and avant-garde construction.
2000 - Fully Integrated Service
After Lilli Bertone took over the management of the company in 1997, Bertone became a fully integrated service company in the automotive, transportation, and industrial design sectors.
2010 - New Ownership. New Vision.
After unveiling the Bertone Mantide, the company went on to pioneer the bird-of-prey-inspired Alfa Romeo Pandion at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show, before being sold to AKKA Technologies in 2016.
2020-22 - An Icon Reborn
Bertone’s new owners are car enthusiasts Mauro and Jean-Franck Ricci, who are passionately relaunching Bertone with a groundbreaking new vision for the future.
