2 weeks Ago By Nicholas Maronese
Article content When we heard in 2022 about the relaunch of storied design house Bertone, part of us wasn’t sure if the re-engineered Lamborghini Huracan we were looking at, Bertone’s GB110 , was the real deal or just vapourware. But our skepticism is subsiding, and we’re rather excited to hopefully see Bertone’s latest offering, a re-imagining of the 1969 Autobianchi A112 Runabout Concept , in the sheet-metal at an upcoming auto show somewhere. A little back story for those not so familiar: Gruppo Bertone was one of the great Italian design firms of the ’50s, ’60s, and ’70s, in the same vein as ItalDesign and Pininfarina, and the kiln where some of the biggest talents of the industry were forged, like Giorgetto Giugiaro and Marcello Gandini.
You might not recognize the name, but you may recognize the cars its designers styled, like the Alfa Romeo Montreal, Lamborghini Miura and Countach, and the Lancia Stratos HF. It was Gandini who penned the wedge shape of the ’69 Autobianchi Runabout for the Gruppo, a handsome concept that later inspired the production Fiat X1/9. The car was one of many highlights in the vast Bertone catalog, which was closed several years ago when the company began trending toward bankruptcy.
The rights to the Bertone name were acquired in 2022 by brothers Jean-Franck and Mauro Ricci, and part of their plan to bring back the badge’s lustre is by launching a range of Bertone Classics, based on the firm’s biggest hits. It’s all set to start with the car you see here, dubbed the Bertone Runabout. This new Runabout is heavily influenced by the ’69 concept, with a smattering of tasteful tweaks to update it for the modern day.
Chief among them are actual working doors; and the availability of a targa-top variant with removable roof panels. While the original prototype was based on a Fiat chassis and so ran via a 50-hp 1.1-litre four-cylinder, the new car is to be blessed with a 500-hp V6 instead .
“The new Bertone Runabout is not just a design object but a celebration of Italy’s tradition of spectacular sports cars — crafted for driving pleasure and the joy of life,” Bertone’s new design boss, Andrea Mocellin, explains. “It captures the essence of pure design with only two defining lines.” The Runabout will see a limited production run, with the first cars seeing delivery mid-2026, Bertone says.
Pricing starts at €350,000, which is about CDN$525,000 at current exchange rates. If anyone in Canada plans to put down a deposit, let us know: we would very much like to know we’re not the only ones wanting this new venture to succeed. Sign up for our newsletter Blind-Spot Monitor and follow our social channels on Instagram , Facebook and X to stay up to date on the latest automotive news, reviews, car culture, and vehicle shopping advice.
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