2026 Bertone Runabout

Bertone introduced the new Runabout, a contemporary expression of a historic concept born from the brand's era of neo-retro experimentation. First conceived at the end of the 1960s, the original Runabout embodied Bertone's willingness to challenge convention, embracing freedom of form, proportion, and imagination.

Reinterpreting a Historic Concept

The original 1969 Runabout design emerged from a moment of optimism, futurism, and experimentation inside Bertone's Centro Stile, celebrating freedom, openness, and the sculptural honesty of exposed mechanical forms. In that period, Nuccio Bertone sought to break away from the conventions of mainstream car design, creating a concept that championed aesthetic liberation and the courage to explore form beyond prevailing norms.

The 2026 Runabout honors that same spirit while reinterpreting it through a contemporary lens. Every line and surface is the result of a meticulous design process.

Rather than leaning solely on nostalgia, the new Runabout is a bridge between Bertone's conceptual heritage and its modern vision. True to Bertone's belief that a car must be a moving art manifesto, the Runabout distills form, tension, and emotional resonance into their most essential expressions.

TWO BODY INTERPRETATIONS: Barchetta and Targa

The Runabout is offered in two distinct interpretations conceived not as stylistic variations, but as two complementary expressions of the same architectural idea. Both configurations share identical proportions, geometry, and design discipline, ensuring a unified identity rooted in clarity and intention.

The Barchetta represents the most elemental expression of the Runabout. Open, light, and direct, it emphasizes continuity between exterior and interior, enhancing the sense of exposure and freedom. With the wedge perceived uninterrupted and the cockpit fully open to light, air, and sound, the Barchetta recalls the spirit of the original concept and places driving experience at the center.

The Targa introduces an added layer of structural and functional complexity. Its removable carbon roof preserves the purity of the wedge silhouette while introducing a convertible dimension that adapts to varied environments without diluting the original architectural clarity.

INTERIOR

The interior of the Runabout is designed with the same clarity that defines its exterior, shaped around a boat-inspired hull-like tub that integrates occupants low within the car. The layout emphasizes immersion and openness, with a seating position that places the driver close to the vehicle's structure and mechanical elements.

Every surface follows a principle of reduction and purpose. A carbon-fiber seat shell, aluminum- milled components, mechanical switchgear, and hand-finished leather are used for their functional and tactile qualities, each shaped through dedicated machining and finishing processes. Form is kept simple, while material execution provides depth and character.

The dashboard is conceived as a single, continuous horizontal element, reinforcing visual width and calm. In the driver's direct line of sight, a single digital tachometer serves as the sole instrument, reducing visual clutter and maintaining focus.

A nautical compass integrated at the center of the dashboard references Runabout's maritime inspiration. Mechanical engagement defines the environment. A gated manual shifter and exposed controls reinforce a direct, analog driving experience.

EXTERIOR

The Runabout embraces Bertone's historic mastery of sculptural modernism, translating the spirit of the original concept and its nautical inspiration into a contemporary, disciplined form.

At the front, an integrated S-duct channels airflow through the bodywork, improving cooling efficiency and contributing to aerodynamic balance without visual excess. Reinterpreted pop- up headlights offer a respectful nod to classic automotive design, seamlessly integrated within a clean, modern surface language. A continuous, taut horizontal stroke runs across the width of the car, reinforcing its maritime inspiration while visually connecting the sculpted fenders and underscoring the Runabout's low, grounded stance.

The rear presents a contemporary interpretation of the coda tronca, a design principle already present in Italian automotive culture at the time the 1969 concept was conceived. Reduced to its essential geometry, the truncated tail preserves the clarity and nautical character of the original idea. Four rectangular apertures define the rear graphic, with the exhaust outlets integrated within two of these openings.

In side view, the Runabout's proportions are completed by an exceptionally low bonnet profile and forged aluminum wheels inspired directly by the original concept, reinforcing a sense of lightness, balance, and purpose. Extensive use of carbon fiber for the bodywork, combined with an aluminum chassis, reduces overall weight, reinforcing agility, balance, and driver connection.

POWERTRAIN ARCHITECTURE

Each of the 25 Runabout units is built on a newly acquired, unused chassis, re-engineered for the project and assigned to the Runabout. The powertrain architecture is built around a 3.5-liter, 60° V6 featuring an aluminum block and aluminum DOHC cylinder heads, with four valves per cylinder and dual variable valve timing. The engine architecture incorporates a forged crankshaft mounted transversally in a mid-engine configuration to achieve optimal weight distribution and balance.

Forced induction is provided by an Eaton/Edelbrock TVS supercharger mounted within the V of the engine. High-efficiency charge-air cooling ensures consistent intake temperatures under sustained load, while the setting optimizes boost delivery in the mid-range for stronger, more progressive torque.

Breathing and exhaust efficiency are comprehensively optimized. A KT500 carbon-fiber airbox increases flow capacity and reduces intake turbulence, supported by precision intake ducting designed to stabilize charge flow at high engine speeds. Stainless-steel performance headers with optimized runner length improve exhaust scavenging, while a high-flow 200 cpsi HJS catalyst integrated into a reengineered Y-pipe significantly reduces back-pressure. The exhaust system is tuned to preserve the natural mechanical character of the V6.

The system maintains factory safety margins while delivering approximately 475 hp and 490 Nm of torque. Thermal and mechanical integrity are central. Cooling strategies are adapted to manage increased thermal loads, while high-temperature material specifications ensure durability during sustained high-performance use, including track driving. Conservative supercharger pressures and carefully managed air-fuel ratios preserve OEM reliability levels,

A Bespoke Coachbuilt Creation

The Runabout will be produced in a strictly limited series of 25 examples. Every client follows a curated configuration journey, shaping the car's identity through a personal dialogue with Bertone's Centro Stile. This process embodies the purest form of modern Italian coachbuilding: intentional, intimate, and deeply connected to the identity of each owner.

The Bertone Runabout will be priced from €390,000 before taxes and duties.