Bertone just released a car that has been waiting almost 60 years to go into production and it packs a supercharged V6
Published on Feb 18, 2026 at 7:28 PM (UTC+4)
by Henry Kelsall
Last updated on Feb 18, 2026 at 7:28 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Emma Matthews
Bertone has just launched a new sports car that it has waited nearly six decades to make, and it has supercharged V6 power as well.
In the 1960s, Bertone revealed the Runabout concept car, penned by design guru Marcello Gandini and one of the most striking cars of its time.
Unveiled at the 1969 Turin Motor Show, it was never intended to go into production. Sixty years later, it is set to do so.
Naturally, it has had a few changes to allow this to happen, but it has stayed true to Gandini’s concept from the 1960s.
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Why Gandini designed the original Bertone Runabout
Gandini and Bertone revealed the original Runabout sports car in 1969.
Back then, it was designed to showcase Marcello Gandini’s innovative ideas.
At the time, neither the designer nor the company intended to make a production version.
Originally, it had a roofless and doorless bodystyle.
Power came from a 1.1-liter Autobianchi engine with just 50hp, just enough to get it moving.
In 2026, the car was reworked by Andrea Mocellin, a man who has worked at Ferrari, Maserati, and Alfa Romeo.
Bertone is building the production Runabout as both a Barchetta coupe and a Targa with a removable roof.
The roof will be made of carbon fiber to save weight, and there are a few other changes to the original car, too.
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How the new car differs from the original coupe
At the front are now integrated S-duct channels, which help to navigate the airflow around the body to improve the cooling and aerodynamic performance.
There are also pop-up headlights, a nod to the original car from 1969.
New sculpted fenders add to the design, and the rear resembles the original as much as it possibly can.
Based on the Lotus Exige, the new Runabout should have incredible handling.
It’s under the hood, however, where the biggest changes have taken place.
The sports car now has a Toyota-sourced 3.5-liter supercharged V6 engine making 475hp.
Bertone has said that this is the first model in the new Bertone Classic Range.
Other cars from its past should appear in the future, reimagined for the modern day.
Marcello Gandini’s most iconic cars
1966 Lamborghini Miura: Introduced elegant, sweeping curves on the very first modern mid-engine supercar.
1968 Alfa Romeo Carabo: A revolutionary concept that pioneered both the extreme wedge shape and scissor doors.
1970 Lancia Stratos Zero: An ultra-low, 33-inch-tall concept that set the stage for the iconic Stratos rally car.
1974 Lamborghini Countach: The ultimate poster car, bringing his sharp-edged, geometric styling to production.
1980 Renault 5 Turbo: Transformed a standard economy hatchback into a wide-hipped, mid-engined rally legend.
1982 Citroën BX: Adapted his sharp, angular design language for a practical, mass-produced family commuter.
1991 Cizeta-Moroder V16T: Realized his uncompromised original vision after his Diablo designs were softened by Chrysler.
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Henry joined the Supercar Blondie team in February 2025, and since then has covered a wide array of topics ranging from EVs, American barn finds, and the odd Cold War jet. He’s combined his passion for cars with his keen interest in motorsport and his side hustle as a volunteer steam locomotive fireman at a leading heritage steam railway in England.
