What exactly is the 2026 Bertone Runabout?
The 2026 Bertone Runabout is a newly developed neo retro sports car, designed by the Italian design house to revive the iconic Autobianchi A112 Runabout by Bertone, a concept car showcased during the 1969 Turin motor show. Bertone describes this model as the neo-retro model that combines the visual spirit of the 1969 concept with modern engineering.
Why does the original 1969 Runabout matter so much?
The 1969 Autobianchi A112 Runabout design, created by Marcello Gandini for Bertone, captured a radical design shift that defined an entire era of wedge-shaped sports cars. The original concept took the dramatic wedge design profile a step further, with an open body taking direct inspiration from the speed boats of the 1960s.
How closely does the 2026 model follow the original concept?
The new 2026 Bertone Runabout stays remarkably loyal to the 1969 concept, incorporating the same wedge aesthetics and a horizontal beltline inspired by a nautical theme, giving the car its distinctive speedboat-inspired character.
For the 2026 Runabout, Bertone doesn’t shy away from incorporating all the theatrics of an Italian supercar from the late 1960s and 1970s, staying true to its neo retro statement. The 2026 production model retains an open-air layout, dramatic wedge proportions, and even pop-up headlights, while adding modern LED lighting and carbon-fibre bodywork, perfectly balancing between form and function.
What body styles are available?
Built on a virgin bonded aluminum structures and carbon fibre bodywork, Bertone is offering the 2026 Runabout in two distinct body styles: Barchetta and Targa. Buyers can opt between the two aforementioned body styles. Barchetta: offering an uncompromising open version for maximum drama, and Targa: which adds a removable roof element for slightly greater usability without losing the car’s distinctive silhouette.
What powers the new Bertone Runabout?
Under its retro-inspired wedge body lies a supercharged 3.5-litre V6 sourced from Toyota, paired with a six-speed manual transmission. The 3.5 litre V6 produces 475 horsepower and 489 Nm (361 lb-ft) of torque. While these are not startling numbers by modern standards, for a tiny sports car that weighs about 1,057 kg (2,330 lb) and comes with a manual, these figures are more than enough for a spirited drive. Reported figures include a 0 to 62 mph sprint of 4.1 seconds and a top speed just shy of 170 mph at 168 mph.
What about pricing?
Bertone is very clear, the 2026 Runabout is not going to be a mass produced sportcar, and as it stands, the production units are capped at 25 units overall with a price tag of €390,000, excluding taxes. Limited run, along with the mechanical package that includes a manual in 2026, is going to make the 2026 Bertone Runabout a heathrob for the collectors.
