Description
The Last Jet — From Concept to Legacy: Aston Martin Bertone Jet 2+2
In the summer of 2012, an unassuming meeting in a modest airport café outside Milan would set in motion the creation of the final car ever produced by Bertone. Across a plain Formica table, Barry Weir—accomplished historic rally driver, Aston Martin collector, and seasoned grand tourer—sat with Lilli Bertone, custodian of her late husband Nuccio’s celebrated design house.
The table bore no formal briefings or corporate presentations—only a paper napkin, upon which the first conceptual sketches of the Aston Martin Jet 2+2 began to take form. This moment would mark the culmination of a trilogy spanning more than half a century.
A Trilogy of Distinction
The lineage began in 1961 with the Aston Martin DB4 GT Jet, a one-off designed by a 22-year-old Giorgetto Giugiaro during his tenure at Bertone. Revealed at the Geneva Motor Show, it was celebrated for its avant-garde elegance and aerodynamic purity. Decades later, it achieved £3. 25 million at Bonhams, underlining its enduring significance.
In 2004, Lilli Bertone commissioned the Jet 2—a DB9-based, two-seat shooting brake that blended Aston Martin’s mechanical refinement with Bertone’s distinctive sculptural language. This example remained in the Bertone family, unseen by the market.
The Jet 2+2, unveiled at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show alongside its predecessor, would serve as the trilogy’s denouement. Built upon an unregistered Rapide platform supplied by Aston Martin, it was a true four-seat grand tourer, capable of accommodating four adults and their luggage without sacrificing proportion or poise.
Conception to Completion
Weir had initially sought to acquire the Jet 2, but instead was offered the opportunity to commission an entirely new model—on condition of Aston Martin’s approval. Securing that endorsement, the project advanced with remarkable speed. In just over three months, Bertone’s craftsmen shaped aluminium and carbon-fibre into a singular shooting brake form, integrating a panoramic dimmable glass roof, folding rear seats, and increased rear headroom, all while preserving the Rapide’s original wheelbase and dynamic balance.
The mechanical specification remained largely faithful to the donor car: a 5. 9-litre V12 delivering 558 bhp through a rear-mounted transaxle, capable of approximately 200 mph. Yet the Jet 2+2 was more than a technical exercise—it was conceived to be lived with. Within its first year, Barry and his wife covered over 17, 500 miles across Europe, a testament to its long-legged touring capabilities and measured performance delivery.
The Final Chapter
Shortly after the car’s debut, Bertone entered administration. The Jet 2+2 would remain the last commission to leave its Turin workshops. All original tooling, moulds, and patterns were transferred to Weir, ensuring preservation but preventing duplication.
Subtle in appearance yet singular in existence, the Jet 2+2 offers a level of exclusivity that even the rarest contemporary grand tourers cannot approach. Where a Ferrari GTC4 Lusso might be spotted in the wild, the Jet 2+2 will only ever appear as a fleeting reflection—its rarity assured, its heritage sealed.
It stands today not only as a unique Aston Martin, but as the closing statement of one of Italy’s most storied carrozzerie.
