A concept car that once represented a design experiment of the late 1960s is finally moving from show stand to production line. Bertone has announced plans to build a limited-run sports car inspired by the Autobianchi A112 Runabout, a prototype first unveiled at the Turin Auto Show in October 1969.
The original Runabout was designed by Marcello Gandini and showcased Bertone’s vision for a compact, mid-engine roadster. The two-door barchetta featured a transverse engine layout similar to that used in the Lamborghini Miura, another Gandini design. It was intended as a potential successor to the Fiat 850 Spider, which Bertone was producing at the time. Like many concepts of its era, the Runabout never advanced beyond the show circuit, becoming one of Italy’s notable unrealized designs.
Nearly six decades later, Bertone is revisiting the idea with a modern reinterpretation rather than a strict replica. The new Runabout will be offered in two configurations, Barchetta and Targa, with total production capped at 25 examples. Both versions feature a wedge-shaped carbon-fiber body that closely matches the compact footprint of a modern Mazda Miata. Design elements include pop-up headlights and a low, minimalist profile, while the Targa model adds removable roof panels.
Inside, the cabin blends retro cues with modern technology. Physical controls dominate the interior layout, paired with a digital gauge display integrated into the cockpit. The car is built on a modified Lotus chassis and powered by a supercharged 3.5-liter V-6 sourced from Toyota. Power is sent through a six-speed manual transmission, producing 475 horsepower and 361 pound-feet of torque.
Bertone says the Runabout can accelerate from zero to 60 mph in 4.1 seconds and reach a top speed of 168 mph. Those figures significantly exceed anything the original concept could have achieved if it had reached production in its era.
Each Runabout, regardless of body style, is priced at €390,000, or approximately $463,000. With production limited and demand expected to be high, interested buyers may need to act quickly to secure one of the long-delayed concept’s first real-world incarnations.
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