Designed for Bertone by the supremely talented Franco Scaglione in the 1950s, the Alfa Romeo-based Berlinetta Aerodinamica Tecnica concept cars are seminal objects of 20th-century design. Widely known as the B.A.T. cars, the trio of audacious, ultra-aerodynamic and fully functional prototypes pushed the boundaries of automotive design like nothing that had come before and truly embodied avant-garde creativity.
Separated for years following their moments beneath the motor show spotlights, the B.A.T. concepts were finally united in 1989 when they were presented at the prestigious Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. In the three decades since, they have only made fleeting public appearances, which is why the news that Phillips will showcase the cars in its first-ever automotive exhibition is so important for European enthusiasts.
Titled Trinity: B.A.T. 5-7-9 and poised to take place at Phillips Berkeley Square on 20–23 November 2019, the exhibition will highlight B.A.T. 5, 7 and 9s’ visionary aesthetics in addition to their significance in the wider context of 20th-century art, architecture and design.
Furthermore, capitalising on our long-term partnership with Phillips, Classic Driver will co-host a panel discussion concerning the cars on the eve of the exhibition on 19 November 2019, featuring our very own J. Philip Rathgen, Aurel Bacs of Bacs & Russo and Giosuè Boetto Cohen, the Italian journalist, author and curator for the Museo dell’Automobile in Turin, and moderated by James Marks, International Specialist, Watches, Phillips.
Photos: © 2019 Peter Harholdt
