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Bertone Runabout: 1969 Italian showboating reborn for the modern era

[Credit: All images courtesy of Bertone]

 

 

Legendary Italian car design company Bertone is back (after a bankruptcy in 2014 and a new owner), and 25 exotic car aficionados worldwide will get to own its reborn 475-hp Runabout, inspired by the brand's 1969 wedge-shaped prototype concept coupe that borrowed some of its design cues from speedboats.

Although the original Autobianchi A112 Runabout two-seater never made it to production, it did inspire the highly wedged design of the Fiat X1/9 that appeared in 1972.

The new Runabout is shown with the original 1969 version in these two images.

 

 

The new Runabout will be available in two forms: Barchetta (a full open experience with a tiny windscreen) or Targa (complete with carbon fiber removable roof). It will be hand-built using a modified Lotus Exige aluminum chassis. The revived car made its big debut at the Retromobile 2026 show in Paris, France, in January.

The new Runabout is defined by two essential gestures: the wedge line and the coda tronca (cut-off tail), just as in the original. Rather than leaning solely on nostalgia, the new car is a bridge between Bertone's conceptual heritage and its modern vision. True to Bertone's belief that a car must be "a moving art manifesto," the Runabout combines form, tension, and emotional resonance into essential expressions of automotive style -- complete with old-school pop-up headlights.

Each of the 25 Runabout units will be built on a newly acquired, unused Lotus chassis, re-engineered for the project and assigned to the Runabout. The powertrain architecture is built around a 3.5-L, 60-degree V6 featuring an aluminum block and aluminum DOHC cylinder heads, with four valves per cylinder and dual variable valve timing. The engine architecture incorporates a forged crankshaft mounted transversally in a mid-engine configuration to achieve optimal weight distribution and balance. The car sports a manual 6-speed and is estimated to go from 0 to 62 mph in 4.1 sec.

Forced induction is provided by an Eaton/Edelbrock TVS supercharger mounted within the V of the engine. High-efficiency charge-air cooling ensures consistent intake temperatures under sustained load, while the setting optimizes boost delivery in the mid-range for stronger, more progressive torque. Breathing and exhaust efficiency are comprehensively optimized, including the use of a KT500 carbon-fiber airbox, precision intake ducting, and stainless-steel performance headers.

Overall, the system delivers approximately 475 hp and 490 Nm of torque. Cooling strategies are adapted to manage increased thermal loads, while high-temperature material specifications ensure durability during sustained high-performance use, including track driving.

But honestly, this car is all about the design, not the powerplant, reinterpreting Bertone's historical sculptural modernism and its nautical inspiration into a contemporary, disciplined form. It's cool because it is so retro -- definitely like something that looked so futuristic in the pages of publications like Popular Mechanics in the 60s or even earlier.

At the front (which weirdly kind of looks like the back), an integrated S-duct channels airflow through the bodywork, improving cooling efficiency and contributing to aerodynamic balance without visual excess. Reinterpreted pop-up headlights offer a respectful nod to classic automotive design, seamlessly integrated within a clean, modern surface language. A continuous, taut horizontal stroke runs across the width of the car, reinforcing its maritime inspiration while visually connecting the sculpted fenders and underscoring the Runabout's low, grounded stance.

The rear presents a contemporary interpretation of the coda tronca, a design principle already present in Italian automotive culture at the time the 1969 concept was conceived. Reduced to its essential geometry, the truncated tail "preserves the clarity and nautical character of the original idea," according to the designers. Four rectangular apertures define the rear graphic, with the exhaust outlets integrated within two of these openings.

In side view, the Runabout's proportions are completed by an exceptionally low hood profile and forged aluminum wheels inspired directly by the original concept, reinforcing a sense of lightness, balance, and purpose. Extensive use of carbon fiber for the bodywork, combined with an aluminum chassis, reduces overall weight while reinforcing agility, balance, and driver connection.

The interior uses the same design language that defines its exterior, shaped around a boat-inspired, hull-like tub that integrates occupants low within the car. The layout emphasizes immersion and openness, with a seating position that places the driver close to the vehicle's structure and mechanical elements.

Every surface follows a principle of reduction and purpose. Whether you are a fan or not, it is neat to see how the exterior design integrates with the interior design to form an overall branded look. A carbon-fiber seat shell, aluminum-milled components, mechanical switchgear, and hand-finished leather are used for their functional and tactile qualities, each shaped through dedicated machining and finishing processes.

The dashboard is presented as a single, continuous horizontal element. The feel is a little racy, a little luxe, and a little fun -- a bit like a cartoon come to life. In the driver's direct line of sight, a single digital tachometer serves as the sole instrument, reducing visual clutter and maintaining focus. A nautical compass integrated at the center of the dashboard references Runabout's maritime inspiration. Mechanical engagement defines the environment. A gated manual shifter and exposed controls reinforce a direct, analog driving experience.

Top Gear has a great walkaround video of the new Runabout, complete with more history than we could present here. View it at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-SrczF6cHo.

The Bertone Runabout will be priced from €390,000 (just over $460,000) before taxes and duties. Each of the 25 units will be built to order, with tons of personalization options available. Learn more at bertone.it/runabout/.

Source: Bertone

Published February 2026

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