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Bertone resurrects their 1969 concept with a featherweight nautical inspired sports car with pop-up headlights

Published on Jan 28, 2026 at 8:20 AM (UTC+4)
by Molly Davidson

Last updated on Jan 28, 2026 at 8:20 AM (UTC+4)
Edited by Molly Davidson

Bertone has gone back to 1969 and finally built a car it once left behind.

An original idea, finished decades later.

It’s small, light, and unapologetically old-school.

And yes, it’s bringing back pop-up headlights.

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Bertone finally builds its 1969 Runabout, pop-up headlights and all

The Runabout is based on a concept from 1969 called the Autobianchi A112 Runabout. 

Back then, it was just a design study, although its shape later helped inspire the Fiat X1/9. 

But it never became a real car, until now.

The modern Runabout sticks closely to that original sketch. 

Bertone has revived its 1969 Runabout concept as a featherweight sports car with nautical design cues and pop-up headlights that modern cars no longer get
Bertone
Bertone has revived its 1969 Runabout concept as a featherweight sports car with nautical design cues and pop-up headlights that modern cars no longer get
Bertone

It’s short, wedge-shaped, and low to the ground, with clean lines and sharp edges that feel straight out of the late ’60s. 

Up front, the pop-up headlights do exactly what you want them to do, paired with a slim LED strip so the car still meets modern requirements.

At the back, it gets round taillights, exposed rear wheels, and a carbon fiber diffuser. 

Bertone has revived its 1969 Runabout concept as a featherweight sports car with nautical design cues and pop-up headlights that modern cars no longer get
Bertone
Bertone has revived its 1969 Runabout concept as a featherweight sports car with nautical design cues and pop-up headlights that modern cars no longer get
Bertone

Buyers can choose between a Targa with removable roof panels or a fully open Barchetta with barely any windshield at all.

Inside, things go full speedboat. 

The cabin has a deck-style dashboard, a compass, exposed gear linkage, and lots of metal and leather instead of big screens. 

Bertone has revived its 1969 Runabout concept as a featherweight sports car with nautical design cues and pop-up headlights that modern cars no longer get
Bertone
Bertone has revived its 1969 Runabout concept as a featherweight sports car with nautical design cues and pop-up headlights that modern cars no longer get
Bertone

Underneath is a lightweight aluminum chassis developed with Lotus influence, plus a mid-mounted supercharged V6 and a six-speed manual. 

It makes 468 horsepower, weighs just 2,330lb, and focuses more on feel than stats.

Only 25 will be built, starting at around $460,000 before taxes.

Bertone has revived its 1969 Runabout concept as a featherweight sports car with nautical design cues and pop-up headlights that modern cars no longer get
Bertone

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Why pop-up headlights disappeared in the first place

Pop-up headlights used to be everywhere, especially in the ’80s and ’90s. 

Then they vanished.

Part of the reason is that they were annoying. 

Motors failed, mechanisms jammed, and suddenly your car looked like it was permanently winking.

Bertone has revived its 1969 Runabout concept as a featherweight sports car with nautical design cues and pop-up headlights that modern cars no longer get
Hoyoun Lee/Unsplash
Bertone has revived its 1969 Runabout concept as a featherweight sports car with nautical design cues and pop-up headlights that modern cars no longer get
De Tomaso

They also hurt aerodynamics, thanks to extra seams and moving parts.

But the real issue was safety rules. 

In the late 1990s, pedestrian regulations cracked down on sharp edges and hard surfaces at the front of cars. 

Pop-up headlights weren’t banned outright, but they became more trouble than they were worth.

Then LEDs arrived and made them obsolete.

That’s why the Runabout feels so unusual. 

Bertone has revived its 1969 Runabout concept as a featherweight sports car with nautical design cues and pop-up headlights that modern cars no longer get
Bertone

Pop-up headlights are no longer practical for everyday cars, but for a tiny, nostalgic, half-million-dollar toy, they make perfect sense.

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With roles at TEXT Journal, Bowen Street Press, Onya Magazine, and Swine Magazine on her CV, Molly joined Supercar Blondie in June 2025 as a Junior Content Writer. Having experience across copyediting, proofreading, reference checking, and production, she brings accuracy, clarity, and audience focus to her stories spanning automotive, tech, and lifestyle news.