Bertone has released the first images of the Nuccio Concept, the design study that will debut at the upcoming Geneva Show and will celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the Design Studio.
The set of images follow the first sketches released a couple of weeks ago, and showcase a dynamic, low sportscar with a number of original design elements.
The Nuccio is characterized by a distinctive, low silhouette, with a single, arched line that defines the upper contour of the short front hood, the long windshield and the roof, extending to the rear end.
This line reminds of the 1970 Lancia Stratos HF Zero, and is contrasted by the shoulder line, which has a Z-shape that recalls the Lamborghini Diablo and the Cizeta V16, both designed by Marcello Gandini, who worked at Bertone until 1980.
Another distinctive element is the roof, which visually contrasts with the dark body for its bright orange color, and reminds of tensile structures in modern architecture, a similarity enhanced by the meshed grid pattern of the surface.
The front and rear end combine essential lighting units, consisting of horizontal bars spanning the entire width, with the rhomboidal and triangular shapes of the front air intakes and the tail exhausts.
The same theme can be found in the side view, on the mirror and on the sculpted rear fender.
The wheels, while keeping up with the angular lines theme, are rather conventional compared to originality of the design.
The Nuccio Concept will make its official debut at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show, and will be displayed on several occasions during 2012 for the celebrations of the design studio’s Centenary.
Named after Bertone’s founder, the Nuccio Concept also has the goal of celebrating the Italian studio’s Centennial and expressing its independence though a pure and original form language.
As in the studio’s tradition, the concept is fully functional, powered by mid-mounted a 4.3 liter V8 engine delivering 480 hp.
Below we report the official design story of the car, penned by the team led by bertone Design DirectorMike Robinson.
From the official Press Release:
Concept
The car has a low and muscular, mono-volume architecture, (length 4800 mm, width 1950 mm, height 1220 mm), which coherently refers back to some of the most historical Bertone concept cars of the past, true milestones of car design: the Alfa Romeo Carabo (1968), the Lancia Stratos Zero (1970) and the Lamborghini Countach (1971).
At the same time, by pushing the mono-volume concept to new extremes, the Nuccio develops an unique form language that strongly projects it towards the future.
Lilli’s promise
A tribute and a challenge, but first and foremost a promise.
The promise Mrs. Lilli Bertone made to her husband Nuccio, on the eve of the Geneva Motor Show in 1997, she promised that she would forever carried on the company in his name. Today that promise is fulfilled and renewed.
The Nuccio concept car, which Lilli strongly supported and followed at every step of its realization, has been given the task of carrying the moral legacy of the Master into the new millennium, confirming Bertone once again among the international leaders of car design.
Exterior Design
The powerful form language of the Nuccio, conceived by the creative team led by Design Director Mike Robinson, expresses the evolution of the “cab forward”, mono-volume concept, the advanced, integrated greenhouse which Bertone invented back in 1967 with the Carabo, then refined in 1970 with the Stratos Zero, and finally put into production in 1973 with the Lamborghini Countach.
“Cab forward” architecture means that the passenger cabin of the car is moved forward to make room for the central engine, facilitating the integration of the hood, windshield, and trunk into a single gesture.
The wedge-shaped body side of the Nuccio is enhanced by a clever interplay of concave and convex volumes which give the impression of flexed muscles.
The visual element with most resembles the Stratos Zero is easily the large, tapered windshield, which unlike any other automobile, is narrow at the base and wider above, slightly trapezoidal.
This choice has generated a remarkable aesthetic solution, with the two A pillars, which begin at the headlights and move rearward, framing the windshield.
The geometric layout of the “upsidedown” windshield pushes the A pillars outboard at the top of the windshield, creating two, wide flaps that wrap over the B pillar where the side air intakes feed the powerful, mid-mounted engine.
This graphic choice refers directly to the famous Stratos Zero that designers like to call the “eyes of the crocodile.”
Another Stratos Zero characteristic found in the Nuccio is called “twin peaks”, reinterpreted with a futuristic twist. In side view, the first peak is the visible as the highest point of the roof, where the inclined front face up meets the inclined rear face, and is positioned forward compared to the middle of the car.
The second peak is behind the first, forming the famous “eye of the crocodile”, an area of the roof rails which stick up above the roof of the car, and also protrudes out over the side glass creating a sort of eyebrow typical in reptiles.
The visual balance of these two peaks, generates a strong dynamic tension throughout the body of the car, optically projecting it forward.
Other details on the Nuccio have nothing to do with the Stratos Zero.
The roof on the Nuccio was inspired by avant-garde tensile structure technology used in modern architecture.
The first time ever seen in the automotive industry, the Nuccio tensile structure roof is lighter and stronger than traditional automotive chassis based on the antique pillars and beams, and offers an innovative alternative for the future.
To enhance the importance of this technological innovation, the roof is painted in bright orange, treated with a high-tech transparent coat called “sirallico” blue, creating a high contrast with the gray car body color which is also treated with a high- tech transparent coat, “sirallico” bronze.
Orange was Nuccio Bertone’s favorite color. A strong color, a symbol of creativity, which also characterizes the color on the ceiling of the Bertone corporate headquarters.
Clearly inspired by organic worlds, the “viral” graphics seen in the car, both inside and out, add a futuristic touch to the Nuccio: the air intakes located on the front bumper and lower rocker panels, side and rear air outlets positioned strategically around the engine compartment, even the seats and the interior door panels carry the same “viral” graphics.
Their goal is to evolve traditional automotive graphics, which have typically geometric, overly predictable shapes.
The LED exterior lights are thin horizontal “light bars” which extend across the entire width of the front and rear ends of the car. Both headlights and taillights are divided into three distinct zones.
The front lights have two lateral areas for traditional functions such as running lights, low beam, high beam and turn indicators, while the central area serves two functions, DRL (Daytime Running Lights), front brake lights which has been patented by Bertone.
The rear lights also have two lateral zones for traditional functions like running lights, brake lights, and turn indicators, while the central area doubles the running lights.
Both front and rear “light bars” carry the Bertone name with three-dimensional, backlit aluminum letters. When the “light bars” are turned off they look like “chrome bars”.
In terms of preventive safety, Nuccio presents a novelty: the front brake light, patented by Bertone. When the car is braking, the brightness of the front DRL increases drastically, signaling to everyone, even in the front view, that the vehicle is slowing down.
This device, if it should one day find industrial applications, would tell pedestrians in crosswalks if the vehicle is braking or not.
Interior Design
The interior of the Nuccio is designed with elegant minimalism, like an extreme sports car. A classic layout from super sport, the center console starts with a tall armrest and angles up towards the instrument panel in an inclined plane where all the controls (climate, radio, etc.) are installed.
The red “start / stop” switch is prominently featured in the center console. The automatic “triptronic” transmission, located under the steering wheel, eliminated the need for a physical shift lever on the center console.
The instruments are definitely analog, with a large central tachometer for race oriented drivers, all in the same color as the car interior, anthracite and orange.
The anatomical sport seats are done in bright orange leather, echoing the exterior colors, with aggressive inserts in anthracite gray.
The seats are equipped with innovative holes under the foam which offers much better comfort with respect to a seat with the traditional foam. These micro holes are visibly indicated by the “viral” graphics on the seats and door panels.
Each passenger is protected not only by the anatomical sport seats, but also by the “Y” shaped aluminum structures on the door panels and center tunnel, on both sides of the passengers, designed for maximum structural strength for the interior cabin.
Given the exterior design of the Nuccio, rear visibility is generated by an external rear view camera that projects the view of the road onto a 26 ” LCD screen which is mounted behind the seats where the normal rear window is usually installed.
The screen is visible from the driver via a traditional, central rear-view mirror hanging from the windshield.
The driver can select the desired point of view on the screen behind the driver, including a conventional rear view mirror POV, a lower parking POV, even a view of the engine.
Bertone Nuccio Concept – Technical Specifications
- Engine: 4.3 liter V8 – 480 hp.
- Length: 4800 mm
- Width: 1950 mm
- Height: 1220 mm
- Wheelbase: 2600 mm
- Technical partners: Mak Spa, OMP Racing Srl, Led Italy, Pirelli Spa
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