Bertone Runabout: A retro roadster inspired by a 1969 concept car
International motor shows, once the epicentre of new car launches, have struggled to recover from the financial blows dealt by Covid. However, the annual Retromobile show in Paris has defied this trend by looking to the past, with a focus on classic cars and restomods.
For legendary Italian design studio Bertone, Retromobile provided a natural stage to reveal its reinvention of the Autobianchi A112 Runabout – a concept sports car created by Marcello Gandini while he was working at Bertone in 1969.
Just 25 examples of the new Bertone Runabout will be built, offered in either Barchetta (fully open) or Targa (removable roof) guises. A wedge-shaped carbon fibre body sits atop an aluminium chassis, with a 475hp 3.5-litre supercharged V6 delivering a 0-62mph time of 4.1 seconds.
After espressos were brewed and pleasantries had been exchanged, I sat down with head of design for the Runabout, Andrea Mocellin, to discuss his influences, Italian coachbuilding and some decidedly unconventional headlights.
Your career has largely focused on future mobility and technical innovation so far. What drew you to the Runabout project?
“While I’ve always been interested in the future of mobility, I began my education and career in Turin, surrounded by coachbuilders and the legacy of masters such as Marcello Gandini and Giorgetto Giugiaro. Bertone has always thought radically about vehicle design – and that, for me, is new mobility. Design must communicate not only with the driver, but with today’s audience and market, which demands a certain type of car.
“The Runabout is radically influenced by Marcello Gandini’s masterpiece [pictured above], but it must also satisfy collectors who expect exceptional performance by today’s standards. Bertone wants to create pieces of art with real performance and a driving experience defined by joy.”
During his review of the Alfa Romeo 8C, Jeremy Clarkson relayed the Tate Gallery’s view that a car cannot be art, because art has no purpose beyond itself. The Runabout is not the most practical of cars – so can it be considered as art?
“We hope the Runabout is beautiful, and perhaps one day it will sit in art museums as well as car museums. But we also want it to be driven.
“Historically, Bertone has always believed in art with a function. Until now, we have offered our talent to others. Today we can manufacture our own cars and deliver art, design and function together.”
Given Bertone’s vast archive, why choose the Runabout as your first resurrected concept car?
“This marks the renaissance of the Bertone brand. Alongside the GB110 hypercar [pictured on the left above], we wanted our second car to offer a completely different ownership and driving experience.
“Whereas the GB110 draws inspiration from the breadth of Bertone’s history, the Runabout is a deep dive into a single, iconic design.”
What were the design challenges of translating a 1969 concept into a modern, road-legal car?
“You have to approach the project knowing it must reach production. Those boundaries shape the design from day one. Working closely with engineers is what turns a sketch into something that belongs on the road. Overcoming those challenges is what gives a design its credibility.
“If you ask any designer, they would rather work on two production cars than one hundred concept cars. That way you get to see it on the street and leave your mark on automotive industry history.”
Did you want to keep the original car’s headlight position behind the driver?
“Unfortunately, that just wasn’t possible. We love the original Gandini car, but it was only used as a reference.
“The new pop-up headlights still deliver a sense of theatre, but this is a car designed to be used in today’s world.”
Were there any non-negotiable design cues for the new Runabout?
“The red stripe divides the car into two distinct design languages. The lower section references the scafo – the boat hull – reinforcing the nautical inspiration. The upper half follows the iconic Bertone wedge.
“The coda tronca (cut-off tail) and L-shaped B-pillar complete the sculpture and make the Runabout instantly recognisable.
“The interior, too, was crucial given the open-top format. Horizontality dominates, creating a wraparound feel. A nautical compass nods to the original, while the digital intrusion is limited to the instrument cluster. We wanted craftsmanship and premium materials, while retaining an analogue feel. The interior is minimal – not simple, but minimal.”
Having lived in Turin, London and Munich, what have these cities taught you about car design?
“Turin is the spiritual home of automotive design. Munich is more industrial and feeds my interest in innovation. London – and indeed Asia and America – showed me the global appetite for unique cars that differ from mass-produced offerings.
“I also learned just how globally revered the Bertone brand remains, and the affection enthusiasts still have for its classic designs.”
What is your dream road-trip with the Bertone Runabout?
“From the south of France to Turin. The coastal roads would be perfect. The American west coast, too – the Runabout would come alive in those sunsets. And, not to be a cliché, but even British rain would beautifully highlight the car’s forms.”
I can’t disagree. The Runabout feels perfectly suited to la dolce vita along the riviera. Bertone’s revival shows that scarcity, craftsmanship and clear design intent still have the power to stop people in their tracks.
As the automotive industry approaches the physical limits of performance, emotion is increasingly being injected through nostalgia. The reborn Lamborghini Countach, with Aventador hardware beneath retro-inspired bodywork, is a clear case in point. Bertone wants to position itself at the forefront of a return to true coachbuilding, where modern, usable underpinnings meet historic design language.
For those lucky 25 owners, the Runabout will be a collector’s piece. For everyone else, it’s a reminder of what Italian coachbuilding can achieve when given space for creative expression.
• James Male writes for Motoring Research