The Bertone Runabout goes on tour

A concept suspended between land and sea. It's the Bertone Runabout, or Autobianchi Runabout as it should be known because of the stylised A on the pointed front. A little smaller, the Bertone B appears on the side divided in two by a hypothetical waterline.

The 1969 Runabout was in fact Marcello Gandini's dream of combining a car and an outboard (the word 'runabout' refers both to a compact pleasure or racing boat in vogue in the 1960s and to a completely open car typical of the early 20th century).

Today, although almost forgotten by many, it still exists and is in perfect condition, carefully preserved in the ASI Bertone collection. To celebrate the anniversary of its presentation at the 1969 Turin Motor Show, a dedicated team of engineers and designers is working on a new Bertone Runabout that will be unveiled at the end of October.

Marcello Gandini's unique touch

The Runabout's styling is typical of Marcello Gandini at the time, with its wedge-shaped lines, domed wheel arches and vertical rear 'mirrors'. To name just two of his similar works from the period, we can mention the Lancia Stratos HF and Lamborghini Countach from 1971, and the NSU Trapeze from 1973.

The 1972 Fiat X1/9 also resembles the one-off based on the Autobianchi A112, if only because of its compact proportions and mid/rear engine.

The Runabout is powered by the Fiat 128 engine

Past concept cars:

Peugeot 908 RC: Racing flagship with 700 PS V12 diesel engine

The Mito Cabrio that Alfa Romeo never dared to make

Forgotten prototypes: Ford Comuta (1967) from the UK

Here is the unique Kalahari-style Land Rover Discovery

The engine is that of the Fiat 128

The two-seater designed by Bertone has no windscreen or roof, just a small front spoiler, and even the headlights have been moved to the outermost area of the imposing rollover bar to achieve clean lines. There are, however, additional light clusters in the lower part of the front.

As already mentioned, the starting point for the Runabout is the Autobianchi A112, the Italian answer to the British Mini, but the mechanicals have been completely revised. The engine and front-wheel drive are replaced by a central engine and rear-wheel drive, but it's the 1.1-litre four-cylinder from the Fiat 128.

Bertone Autobianchi Runabout

A missed opportunity

The Autobianchi Runabout remains a one-off, because the brand that has just passed into the hands of Fiat has no intention of producing such an extreme car. Along with the Autobianchi A112 Giovani, it remains one of the last concepts from the Milanese manufacturer, which was busy launching its own A112 at the time.

The opportunity to create an Autobianchi spider that could take the place of the Stellina was therefore lost, not least because the group already had the Fiat 850 Spider on its list.

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