We’ve got a weakness for the light, lithe, and curvy at WINDING ROAD, and this little Bertone Barchetta concept just about pegs our needles.

Built in observance of the design house’s 95th anniversary, the two-seat Barchetta can be viewed as a modern take on the diminutive Italian race cars of the 1950s. In fact, the new concept was paired on the stand with a 1947 Fiat 500-based Barchetta, itself a cute little machine (shown after the jump).

Based on the Fiat Panda 100 HP, the Barchetta concept employs a pair of aluminum shells and a low-cut speedster-style windscreen to create a chunky but purposeful look. We particularly like the clear side panels in the door, which to our eyes have been handled more elegantly than similar treatments on vehicles before it. The openings cut the stubby shape’s visual bulk, helping avoid a thick-of-middle aesthetic.

We also appreciate the beautifully detailed seats and dashboard, which have an attractive throwback sensibility thanks to the use of weathered leather on the simple-looking seats, as well as neat details like the exposed fan blades in the center dashboard.

We wish it were rear-drive, but we'd still be happy to see Bertone convince Fiat to build this car on the Panda's architecture, as we hear wonderful things about the roly-poly econocar.

One, please.

BARCHETTA

Bertone presents the Barchetta concept car in celebration of its 95th anniversary. Based on the floorpan and mechanicals of the Fiat Panda 100 HP, the Bertone Barchetta is an open-topped strictly two-seater sports car that calls to mind the Italian racing cars of the 1950s. In this case, the design explicitly cites the Fiat 500 with Barchetta bodywork created by the young Nuccio Bertone in 1947 as a one-off for his personal use in races.
The decision to celebrate the company’s 95th anniversary with a minimalist yet sophisticated model is perfectly in keeping with the Bertone philosophy. Since its very earliest days, the company has interpreted cars by Italian car makers with an elegant style that emphasises their personality and technological content, with an unparalleled passion for sportiness.
Bertone’s choice of the Fiat brand to celebrate its 95th anniversary was both natural and emotional. Natural because Fiat is the Italian brand par excellence. Emotional because the birth of Bertone as a coachbuilder of “special