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This Unique Aston Martin Shooting Brake was the Last Bertone Built
A unique 2013 Rapide commissioned from Bertone by an Aston Martin connoisseur may soon find a new owner at auction.
Known as the Bertone Jet 2+2, the car was inspired by the Italian styling house’s 2004 Jet 2, a shooting brake on the platform of the Vanquish, which itself paid homage to Bertone’s 1961 Jet, built from a DB4 GT.
Taking the same principle to the Rapide would add some extra style and substance to the four-door sedan, reckoned Aston Martin aficionado Barry Weir, and Bertone was more than happy to oblige.
The Jet 2+2 extended the car’s roofline before dramatically dropping it to a lovely liftback, to give the Rapide a more rakish look. The car featured a full-length glass roof and electrically-folding rear seats to give it extra carrying capacity at the touch of a button. The front seats were also re-profiled so rear passengers got a little more knee room. The interior was then trimmed in Cream Truffle and Obsidian Black leather.
The running gear remained standard, with power from a six-liter, 480-hp normally-aspirated V-12, which Weir seems to have made the most of. Despite its unicorn status, the car has covered more than 24,000 miles.
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The Jet 2+2 made its debut at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show and Aston Martin’s bosses were so taken with the design that plans were made to produce a limited run of ten more cars, but Bertone unfortunately went bust before any more could be built.
That leaves the Jet 2+2 as not just a true one-of-a-kind, but also the final car to leave the Bertone workshop, until the company was revived in 2022. Your chance to own this piece of Anglo-Italian automotive history comes at Dore & Rees Auctions in the U.K. on March 29.
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I like the functional wagon backside on this. Too bad they never did a wagon version of this in mass production.
Dare I say a bit Porsche like?
I always liked this sort of extension. Reminds me a little of the Eventer (sp?) that was made in limited numbers from a Jag XJS. Always liked the look of those and the standard Jag V-12 guts.
Love cool looking performance oriented wagons! Wish there were more choices these days.
GM keeps suggesting it wants to do something to expand the Corvette brand, this could be it. This would be a “car” and allow them to use it to replace the Camaro in all the racing series it will soon be out of due to lack of product. The Australian Super Car Series being my main concern, but would also include NASCAR which has got to be a concern for the marketing dudes. This would require taking the C7 ‘Vette or Gen6 Camaro out of moth balls. The Camaro would be an easier conversion, just avoid the outward vision issue. Call it a Corvette Nomad.
Marc _ In the if ever one day category, the Jag XJ-S Lynx Eventer would be my top choice for an estate car for the estate. – ‘ Not to worry. I’ll pick you up at the airport and then we’ll stop for a bite on the way .’