Bertone Freeclimber

May I present the Holy Trinity: Italian styling, German engine, Japanese SUV.

And you thought the off-roader craze was a new thing? Specifically, the lux one?

A less known craze through the ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s were small(er) batches of off-road vehicles from often upstart automakers, customizers, or coachbuilders — think Monteverdi Safari, Glenfrome Facet, Vantagefield Hummer, Laforza, and others —designed to compete (or at least take some of the pie away from) the Land Rover Range Rover.

The only high-end SUVs that have come close to being as iconic as the Range Rover land on either side of its abilities — the bigger, brasher Cadillac Escalade and the sports car that hauls (to hell with going far off-road), Porsche's Cayenne.

During a time when the word globalization was still a new concept, automakers sought to compete in every segment they could (even if they had to use someone else's vehicle to do it.)

A bit of badge engineering goes a long way, and the SUV originally known as the Daihatsu Rocky is, like someone on Interpol's watch list, also known under multiple aliases, aka Rugger, Rocky, Fourtrak, Taft, Taft Hiline, Feroza, Toyota Blizzard, and Bertone Freeclimber.

Because of its roots and closeness to the source material, I think Freeclimber is the closest thing to a modern 'everyperson' car we will ever see from a classic coachbuilder like Bertone.

Ready to have your mind blown? The Bertone Freeclimber was one of only three series production vehicles^* ever sold under the Bertone name.

The carrozzeria lent its talents and a trim badge to models like the Volvo 780 Coupé, however, this car (and many others) retained its maker’s mark. 

And, offered across two distinct versions (Freeclimber and Freeclimber II), this SUV is to my estimation the only Bertone to ever be sold under successive generations.

Surprising, considering this is the same place that styled the Fiat 8V Spider, the Alfa Romeo BAT concepts, Lamborghini Miura, and Lancia Stratos…among other cars you’ve probably never heard about. Is Bertone that ‘one and done’ date friends warned about?

Freeclimber models were assembled in Italy using parts from Daihatsu. It had a high-end interior and options, and was marketed to those well-heeled drivers who would today likely be driving around in the Land Rover Range Rover Evoque. 

Don't be aghast yet: the Freeclimber had your choice of a Toyota gasoline — or BMW diesel engine!

Japanese engineering, Italian design and assembly, German engine…I can't tell if that's the perfect mix or would be terrible.

That said, I'd rock the Freeclimber. With its quad headlights and a full-width sunroof panel that integrates nicely with its Rancho-like raised rear roof section, it's like a fancier Geo Tracker.

If I was going to get one, I'd try to find a special edition only sold in France. It was offered with an Alcantara interior and named "Blue Lagoon" — after a perfume — or the Invicta cabrio at the top of this article.

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