Lamborghini Countach, Miura, Lancia Stratos, Citroën XM, several Alfa Romeos… all these models have something in common: they were conceived by Bertone, the legendary Italian coachbuilders and designers who disappeared eight years ago, leaving an irreplaceable gap in the motoring world. Something that their current owners now want to remedy: Bertone returns and does so with a very special supercar.
The irrefutable proof is found in Bertone’s social networks, where, in recent weeks, they announce that expected return. And they do it with a new model, shown (still) in semi-darkness. A vehicle that “marks the beginning of a new era for contemporary Bertone”. Those posts further suggest that the design would celebrate the brand’s 110th anniversary.
We can’t say much about this sports car because the images are scarce and the trailer, available on the Bertone website, is very brief. This “instant classic”, as defined by the house itself, it has the silhouette of a supercar (we all hope mid-engined) with a short front and some wide rear flanks in which it is possible to recognize the side air intakes. The rear lights are slightly reminiscent of the Alfa Romeo Carabo. Obviously, there is no data on the powertrain of the new model from Bertone.
Berton’s story
Its current owners, the Ricci brothers, say that “by designing legendary cars such as the Lamborghini Miura, the Countach or the Alfa Romeo 1750 Coupé Bertone, the brand has earned a place in the motor history books… which today are being dusted off. to usher in a new and revolutionary chapter.” Founded in 1912 by Giovanni Bertone, its headquarters were in Turin.
It started out as a transport company, but in the 1920s its focus turned to design: Fiat and Lancia were its first successes. After World War I, Bertone’s fame skyrocketed working with numerous Italian brands such as Alfa Romeo, Ferrari and Lamborghini. His work, yes, was not limited to Italy: Volvo and Citroën were among the many clients of coachbuilders and designers from Turin.
sunset and resurrection
After the Second World War, Nuccio Bertone (son of the founder) divided the company into two fronts: coachbuilders and designers. The last model that the Italian house designed under its own signature was the Bertone Nuccio in 2012: two years later they declared bankruptcy and they sold the brand to Akka Technologies, thus putting an end to more than a century of work.
In 2020, Jean-Franck and Mauro Ricci, two brothers passionate about the motor world and knowledgeable about it, bought Bertone to give it a second life. Now they are asking what the firm’s next dream model will be, although we will have to wait for an answer: for now, there is no official date for a presentation that means the return of an iconic brand.
