1969 Autobianchi A112 Bertone Concept

Concept cars come in all shapes and sizes, serve many different purposes, and often act as a springboard to bounce ideas. As the 1960s were coming to a close, Italian coachbuilder Nuccio Bertone began work on a radical two-seater concept car to be displayed at the Turin Motor Show. Its purpose was to explore a radical wedge-shaped design with a mid-engine configuration and its ability to be built at a reasonable price. The Avant-grade profile was created by designer Marcello Gandini, who had previously created the shape of the Lamborghini Miura and, later, the Countach.

Marcello Gandini's exploration of the wedge-shaped, mid-engine concept began several years prior with the four-seater Lamborghini Marzal concept that featured gullwing doors and louvered rear windows. The Marzal remained a concept though several design cues were later used in the Lamborghini Espada. In 1968, the Gandini-designed Panther Concept was introduced at the Geneva Motor Show and intended for the Brescia Corse team for use in the Prototype class of the World Championship. It had a monocoque chassis, enhanced aerodynamics, a high wing-shaped radiator above the cockpit, and many other advanced details. Also in 1968, and introduced at the Paris Motor Show in October, another wedge-shaped, mid-engine Bertone prototype was unveiled dubbed the Carabo. It was built on the Alfa Romeo 33 chassis and would remain a styling exercise, though many elements were used in various production vehicles, including the doors that opened upwards and forward - used on the Countach.

The idea of an affordable mid-engine supercar was not entirely new, as Matra and Lotus had proven their feasibility. This was further reinforced in 1969 with Porsche's introduction of the 914.

What Marcello Gandini created was a basic roadster design that was commonly termed in Italian as a Barchetta - or little boat. It was devoid of doors, windows, or a proper windshield. The headlights were mounted on the side posts of the rollbar, behind the occupants' seats. The minimalistic two-seater emulated race boats of the 1960s, and the only instrumentation was a speedometer, styled as a nautical compass in the center of the dashboard. Just like powerboats, the mid-mounted engine was partially exposed, with its fuel tank located atop the engine, and its fuel filler cap located in the center.

The concept car was dubbed the Autobianchi A112 Runabout Concept. Autobianchi was an Italian automobile manufacturer that primarily produced small cars with its most famous model being the A112 released in 1969. The company had been created jointly by Bianchi, Pirelli and Fiat in 1955 but falling on hard times, Bianchi was forced to sell its share in the company, and it was fully integrated into Fiat S.p.A. in 1968.

The engine powering the Autobianchi concept was from a Fiat 128 while most of the other mechanical components were from the A112.

The Autobianchi A112 remained a concept but its styling was used for inspiration in the creation of the Fiat X1/9 and the future Lancia Stratos.

by Daniel Vaughan | Sep 2022