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Dan Sarandrea (Phila)

Waitin' On Parts...
According to this Facebook page, the Autobianchi Runabout (or as it's called in the post, the 1969 Bertone Runabout) will be in the 2022 Postwar Preservation Class at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.

The post has several pictures that look very much to have been taken recently, in addition to some that we've all seen a hundred times. Most interesting are the hardly-ever-seen rear and interior views.

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Thanks for posting this Dan. :) It will be interesting to see what happens with it at Pebble Beach.

Hopefully I'm not getting off topic here, but regarding the Runabout's styling. I've often wondered how the X would look as a roadster, with a smoothed/stylized targa bar and wrap around windshield like the Runabout has. This differs from the traditional racing X in both areas; they don't detail the targa bar to better match the overall style, and they have extremely low/swept back windscreens. I think I'd go even higher on the windshield than the Runabout has. Maybe bring it back more to include part or all of the doors, somewhat similar to this:
bbr_models_1_18_ferrari_250p_no23_24h_lemans_1963_.jpg
 
Dan Sarandrea (Phila) said:
According to this Facebook page, the Autobianchi Runabout (or as it's called in the post, the 1969 Bertone Runabout) will be in the 2022 Postwar Preservation Class at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.

The post has several pictures that look very much to have been taken recently, in addition to some that we've all seen a hundred times. Most interesting are the hardly-ever-seen rear and interior views.

View attachment 64641

View attachment 64642

View attachment 64643

View attachment 64644


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Click to expand...
Now I know why we never see it from the back... Looks like the back was just sliced off.
 
JKIDD said:
Now I know why we never see it from the back... Looks like the back was just sliced off.
Click to expand...
If I recall correctly it was intended to mimic a boat of some type, hince the weird tail treatment. But I agree, that is the least favorable view of it.
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Although in general I like concept and custom car designs that are odd and unusual, another feature I don't care for is the headlights mounted on the rollbar.
 
I love how showcar it is. It reminds me of the all out styling of many American show cars done out in California in the late sixties. But Italian.

It is one of my favorite show cars for being so unapologetic and in its excesses.
 
The rear of the X1/9 has been an area of some controversy. I seem to recall from somewhere (maybe a book, maybe an interview) that on the first few drafts of the X1/9, the rear space of the body had nothing that could be called a rear trunk per se. I don't remember what it had, maybe just more space for mechanicals or exhaust, or if it was reported that there was some sort of storage under a lid. I do remember that the source said that FIAT lobbied for the car to have a rear trunk.

As the Doc said, the Runabout was a styling exercise drawing much from the world of contemporary power boats. The engine cover somewhat resembles a boat's padded seat, and the rear platform mimics what boaters call a swim platform, a flat area at the stern that provides a place to jump from or climb back onto. Personally I think the headlight positioning is one of the signature elements of the design.

Someone really needs to sit down with Gandini and do an interview about the X1/9 while we still have him. All of the interviews I've seen with him naturally gush over the Miura, the Countach, etc, making us X-Heads jealous that we've been left out.
 
Those fender arches make me jealous, I wish the X had just a bit more to push a bit more meat. I'm not one for the large rim low pro tires on a car like this. I like a good bit of rubber on older cars like this or the Datsun 280 where on a modern car like the typical Civic, they do look good. I am also not a fan of the head lights, I think the pop ups turned out fantastic, I'm glad they went that way.

I have an old mag, maybe Road and Track, they compared the X to the new Fiero and complained the designers were out to lunch when the luggage areas of the Fiero were drawn and that the 20 year old X thoroughly outshined it in that department.

I do like the Runabout for the most part but I think they took the boat thing too far. Add pop up headlights, smooth out the targa bar add a reasonable windshield and it would be prefect. But then that's pretty much the X.
 
This is significant. Now if the Pebble Beach documents even mention that it was the prototype of the X 1/9 it will be a step in the right direction.
 
Great thread with the pics and info! I really do believe that the X1/9 has enjoyed a huge increase in popularity & credibility over the past 5 years or so. My primary drug of choice is Porsches, and I am shocked at how many Porsche guys have become big fans of the X1/9. When I drive my X1/9 to our weekly Porsche Club breakfasts, it always draws a crowd. They are fascinating cars, and I think most "car guys" recognize the Autobianchi Runabout as the concept car for the X1/9. So, all things considered, it does not surprise me that the car will be at Pebble Beach this year.
 
A nice big fat helping of Fake News from Bloomberg (scroll down to the picture of the Runabout):

"The 1969 Autobianchi A112 Bertone concept car. This tiny concept two-seater was made into many Hot Wheels toys, but never became a production vehicle. Designed by famous Italian car designer Marcell Gandini, it has an inline-four mid-engine layout like the famous Lamborghini Miura and a four-speed manual drive." Photographer: David Paul Morris/Bloomberg"

Wow. Just. Wow.
 
Dan Sarandrea (Phila) said:
A nice big fat helping of Fake News from Bloomberg (scroll down to the picture of the Runabout):

"The 1969 Autobianchi A112 Bertone concept car. This tiny concept two-seater was made into many Hot Wheels toys, but never became a production vehicle. Designed by famous Italian car designer Marcell Gandini, it has an inline-four mid-engine layout like the famous Lamborghini Miura and a four-speed manual drive." Photographer: David Paul Morris/Bloomberg"

Wow. Just. Wow.
Click to expand...
Since Bloomberg was focused on big $$$ auction results, I’m not surprised they ignored the X1/9 connection.
 
Dan Sarandrea (Phila) said:
A nice big fat helping of Fake News from Bloomberg (scroll down to the picture of the Runabout):

"The 1969 Autobianchi A112 Bertone concept car. This tiny concept two-seater was made into many Hot Wheels toys, but never became a production vehicle. Designed by famous Italian car designer Marcell Gandini, it has an inline-four mid-engine layout like the famous Lamborghini Miura and a four-speed manual drive." Photographer: David Paul Morris/Bloomberg"

Wow. Just. Wow.
Click to expand...
This is what I was getting at above. I was pretty sure that the link between the X 1/9 and the prototype would be missing in action. Sounds like that happened here.
 
Believe it or not, a gaming web site did a nice write-up on the Runabout because the developer of one of the most popular racing games, Gran Turismo, apparently donates enough money to Pebble Beach charities that they let him select a car every year to go across the stage!!! This year it's the Runabout.

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www.gtplanet.net

Autobianchi A112 Bertone Concept Wins Gran Turismo Trophy at Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance

Kazunori Yamauchi has crowned the unusual Autobianchi A112 Concept car as the Gran Turismo Trophy winner at the 2022 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance. As with every event since 2008, the Gran Turismo series creator has been on hand as one of the judges at the Concours parade, the culmination of t
www.gtplanet.net www.gtplanet.net
 
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