RE: Bertone ceases trading

[I WISH]

Most of us I suspect will have lusted over more than one or two Bertone designs in our time .... I know that I have. The Muira and 308GTB are just two icons that spring to mind.

Great shame. Perhaps (one of) the Italian Governments could bail them out ..... or even an individual.

There seem to be plenty of oligarchs out there rich enough to be buying individual cars in excess of £1m.

[CooperD]

Disappointing news. Had an X1/9, great car to drive despite being a bit of a money pit.

[mr2j]

I WISH said:

308GTB

[pedant]That was a Pininfarina design.[/pedant]

Or, "Pinanfarini" as Afzal Kahn pronounces it.

[I WISH]

mr2j said:

I WISH said:

308GTB

[pedant]That was a Pininfarina design.[/pedant]

Or, "Pinanfarini" as Afzal Kahn pronounces it.

Oops! I stand corrected sir.

[soad]

mdianuk said:

$2.7 million offer? Surely that would be a bargain if including the rare cars in their showroom?

Those Lambos are in the Lamborghini showroom though?

[Driver101]

I did have a Bertone car that isn't above.

















A Vauxhall Astra Coupe.

[Pothole]

My favourite design house. Huge shame. I will have a Bertone room in my palatial garage complex when I win the Euromillions.

[Europa1]

It is always a shame to see a historic name disappear.

But dc2rr07 'lawsuits from suppliers and additional court cases have proved too much for Bertone.'

I hope these guys are pleased with themselves." - yes they probably are: they were representing businesses that were owed money, not charities.

[Ian974]

Sad to see a famous name going, but it seems fairly inevitable, if the manufacturers are going for in house design and assembly there isn't a lot left for this type of company to do. Producing something tasteful as an alternative to the awful tuner specials that turn up is about all really.

[lamboman100]

Not a huge surprise. Car design has commoditized so much in the past 10 years that anyone with a pencil and a PC can do it. Every car and supercar now looks broadly the same. Very little scope for designer indies to stand out and differentiate. This is reflected in Bertone not having designed anything truly striking since the 1980s.

[POORCARDEALER]

Designed some absolute gems, real shame

[Pothole]

firebird350 said:

Not to mention the curiously once unloved but now celebrated 308 GT4...

At the risk of sounding like Whitney Houston, I've always loved these. It'll be my first car purchase with my Euromillions win as referenced above.

[Behemoth]

lamboman100 said:

Not a huge surprise. Car design has commoditized so much in the past 10 years that anyone with a pencil and a PC can do it. Every car and supercar now looks broadly the same. Very little scope for designer indies to stand out and differentiate. This is reflected in Bertone not having designed anything truly striking since the 1980s.

Nonsense.

[Ali_T]

That is really sad. Meanwhile blandness or crass detailing rules the showrooms.

[SeenTheStrings]

dc2rr07 said:

'lawsuits from suppliers and additional court cases have proved too much for Bertone.'

I hope these guys are pleased with themselves.

The probably are pleased with themselves; they're lawyers. They specialise in screwing people over for their own benefit with no regard for a greater good. I expect they've increased their own bank balances without knowing or caring who 'Bert and Tony' are. In modern philosophy and culture, this is seen as heroic or impressive.

[Amirhussain]

Wow

[fingersprice]

Driver101 said:

I did have a Bertone car that isn't above.

















A Vauxhall Astra Coupe.

Me to, its Orange and its my current car . I always thought that Bertone did a good job of making a fairly dull car into a quite attractive Coupe/Convertible......

[sinbaddio]

fingersprice said:

Me to, its Orange and its my current car . I always thought that Bertone did a good job of making a fairly dull car into a quite attractive Coupe/Convertible......

Agree with this. I can't think (although happy to be corrected) of a poor Bertone design?
I owned an Alfa GT, which whilst not a great drive was a great looking car and immensely practical (3 rear seats and a big boot). It sparked my children's first real interest in cars, and that Bertone badge created some very interesting conversations.

[RoverP6B]

I'd have thought Bertone was possibly the single most iconic name in the design business. VW has bought Giugiaro and I wouldn't be surprised if Marchionne has his eyes on Pininfarina - so surely someone can come up with the funds to keep Bertone going?

[V8 GRF]

SeenTheStrings said:

dc2rr07 said:

'lawsuits from suppliers and additional court cases have proved too much for Bertone.'

I hope these guys are pleased with themselves.

The probably are pleased with themselves; they're lawyers. They specialise in screwing people over for their own benefit with no regard for a greater good. I expect they've increased their own bank balances without knowing or caring who 'Bert and Tony' are. In modern philosophy and culture, this is seen as heroic or impressive.

I seem to recall on numerous occasions reading that the 'family' which consisted of warring sisters was the source of many of the legal disputes and several blocks to 'rescue' attempts.