With ground-breaking design by Bertone, B.A.T. 5,7 and 9 (from left) stunned the auto-show world. (Photo: Ron Kimball)
The trio of Berlinetta Aerodinamica Tecnicas, the radical, winged wonders created by Giuseppe "Nuccio" Bertone for Alfa Romeo, will be the centerpiece display at the 2009 Concorso Italiano event on Aug. 14 in Monterey, Ca.
The three Alfa Romeo B.A.T. concept cars of the 1950s, currently part of the Blackhawk Collection in Danville, were unveiled consecutively at the Turin Motor Show in 1953, 1954 and 1955.
The unforgettable B.A.T. 5, 7 and 9 prototypes announced Bertone's skills loud and clear, and they were instrumental in making the world aware of Italian design creativity and capabilities. Never before or since has there been such audacious designs on a series of three one-offs, each appearing at the same show a year apart.
Bertone’s concept behind the Berlinetta Aerodinamica Tecnicas was to make a body as free of aerodynamic drag and turbulence as possible. For more than five decades, these Alfa Romeo concept cars have caused auto-show goers to either utter an opinion or exclamation. Or just stare in silence.
B.A.T. 5, introduced in 1953, set the stage for the outrageousness, and it is the least recognizable as any sort of Alfa Romeo. The number represents it as the fifth idea or sketch in a series of fastback aerodynamic studies.
Under the B.A.T.'s startling skin is a Alfa Romeo 1900 Sprint chassis and 100-horsepower, 1,884 cc inline-4 engine. Bertone claimed a top speed of 125 mph, about 15 mph greater than the standard 1900 Sprint.
The B.A.T. 7 was even more over the top, with a design dominated by radical fins with wings that swooped in more toward the rear glass, and a small fin running the length of the split-rear-window center section.
The proportions are even more startling than those of its predecessor. Up front, the nose is lower, and the protrusions where the headlights would normally be found are stuck out even further. The headlights themselves were located next to the nose and swiveled down when in use.
Turin 1955 brought the introduction of B.A.T. 9, the third and final element of the project to make it to metal. It’s based on a 1900 C Super Sprint chassis.
The rear split window remained, but now with a significant reduction of exaggerated fins. The rear wheels were exposed for the first time, and the greenhouse is more conventional.
Up front, the lights are traditional, inset behind clear covers in the front wings. B.A.T. 9 is the most true to the marque, as demonstrated by the grille and headlamps.
Concorso Italiano, held in the grand setting of Laguna Seca Golf Ranch in Monterey Bay is a Celebration of Italian Style that opens the traditional Monterey Automotive Weekend each year in August. Expect to see as many as 800 rare and beautiful examples of Italian automobiles and motorcycles.
