Bertone Runabout: from 1969 concept car to the rebirth of an Italian sports car

The Runabout was unveiled in 1969 at the Turin Motor Show. at the time, Bertone was looking to explore new forms of automotive expression, halfway between the prototype, the leisure vehicle and the sports car. The project was entrusted to Marcello Gandini, Bertone's iconic designer at the time.

The concept immediately stood out for its atypical architecture: a compact, very low body with no traditional windscreen, designed like a modern 'barchetta'. The aim is not pure performance, but a direct, uncluttered driving experience, almost nautical in its approach.

Technically, the concept was based on a Fiat and adopted a central rear engine. The Runabout was never produced, but it had a lasting influence on car design in the years that followed, particularly in the world of small sports cars and radical concept cars.

Founded in Turin in 1912 by Giovanni Bertone, the Bertone coachbuilder quickly established itself as a benchmark in Italian automotive design. Over the decades, the company collaborated with some of the world's leading manufacturers, creating models that have become iconic.

Bertone is responsible for such legendary cars as the Lamborghini Miura, the Lancia Stratos and the Lamborghini Countach. The brand stands out for its ability to anticipate trends, break aesthetic codes and offer lines that are often ahead of their time.

However, like many independent coachbuilders, Bertone ran into financial difficulties in the early 2000s. The industrial activity gradually ceased, before the Bertone name was relaunched more recently around projects with a strong heritage and emotional value.

Official source: Bertone - Runabout Specifications (manufacturer data)

More than fifty years after the original concept, the Runabout is reborn as a true sports car, faithful to the original spirit but adapted to contemporary demands. This new version is being produced in a very small series, with an announced production run of just 25 units worldwide, confirming its exclusive positioning.

The design clearly echoes that of the 1969 model: compact proportions, taut lines and an open, minimalist driving position. The approach remains deliberately radical, with priority given to driving pleasure and the direct relationship between rider and machine.

Under the bonnet, the modern Runabout adopts a naturally-aspirated V6 engine, combined with a lightweight architecture and a performance-oriented transmission. The technical choices made are aimed above all at preserving an analogue experience, against the current trend towards mass electrification.

The new Bertone Runabout is not intended to become a mass-market model. It is assembled in a very limited series, with a high level of personalisation and largely handcrafted production. This positioning is aimed at collectors and enthusiasts who are sensitive to the history of Italian automotive design.

Each model is closer to a collector's item than to a traditional industrial product. This approach reinforces the heritage dimension of the project and places the Runabout in the continuity of the exceptional concept cars that have made Bertone's reputation.

The Runabout embodies a form of creative freedom that has become rare in modern motoring. It recalls a time when designers could experiment without excessive constraints, and when driving pleasure took precedence over marketing or regulatory considerations.

In resurrecting this model, Bertone is not simply seeking to produce a new sports car, but to reaffirm a vision of automotive design based on boldness, emotion and Italian cultural heritage.

The Bertone Runabout is much more than just a sports car produced in small numbers. It is the link between two eras: that of the golden age of Italian coachbuilders and that of modern motoring in search of meaning and authenticity. For enthusiasts, it represents a rolling tribute to the history of automotive design and to Bertone's creative genius.