If Darth Vader drove a supercar, the Bertone Mantide would surely be it! This shocking one-off is the creation of Italian design house Bertone, who stunned the Chinese crowds when it threw off the covers at the Shanghai Show this week.
Peel back the slashed and vented carbon-fibre bodywork and you’ll find a Corvette ZR1 underneath. But the Origami-inspired panels aren’t just to draw attention – its designers claim the new shape reduces air resistance and produces more downforce at high speed.
Sensibly, Bertone has left the ZR1’s incredible engine well alone - it’s still a supercharged 6.2-litre V8 producing 631bhp. But thanks to the extensive use of super light carbon-fibre in the bodyshell, performance has increased. The mantide’s 0-60mph time of 3.2 seconds shades two tenths off the standard Corvette, while the top speed climbs by 12mph to 217mph.
Although there’s no word on price, this unique vehicle will be available to buy, and Bertone has confirmed that replicas can be produced if demand is sufficiently high.
STILE BERTONE has revealed the Bertone Mantide, previously teased under the Project M name. The Bertone Mantide is based on the 2009 Corvette ZR1 and will be unveiled at the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este this year. A static model however has been presented at the Shanghai auto show.
The company says the Bertone Mantide is able to reach 62 mph from a stand still in 3.2 seconds and that it can go up to a top speed of 351 km/h (217mph). The Bertone Mantide is around 100 kg lighter and features FIA regulation triangulated roll cage, light-weight carbon fibber racing seats and 4pt racing harness.
The design of the Bertone Mantide has been influenced by Formula One and aerospace technology. The aerodynamics of the Bertone Mantide have been developed in the wind tunnel and the car has 25% (Cd 0.29
less drag.
Bertone Press Release:
Few, if any, automobiles have been as awe-inspiring as the showstopping prototypes and “fuori serie” cars designed by STILE BERTONE - the Alfa Romeo Carabo, the Lancia Stratos Zero and the Lamborghini LP500 prototype to name just a few.
STILE BERTONE has a long history of creating one-off prototypes based on the mechanicals of
Chevrolet’s sporting automobiles spanning over 50 years. Today, STILE BERTONE is proud to utilize the mechanicals of the formidable 2009 Corvette ZR1. Employing know-how from the Le Mans winning Corvette C5R, the ZR1 is the greatest all-round performance car in the world, the undisputed “King of the Ring”, posting the fastest ever lap time for a true production car at 7:26:4 seconds on the famed Nurburgring Nordschleife in Germany, long considered the benchmark for a car’s true performance. Bertone Mantide has been designed and fully engineered in collaboration with the renowned Danisi Engineering and aims to be the world’s greatest
street legal performance car, wrapped in an iconic and radical STILE BERTONE design
Bertone Mantide’s futuristic design draws equal inspiration from modern aerospace and the world of Formula One. The iconic theme is clear to see: a teardrop-like fuselage which tightly encases the mechanicals and the passenger cell which is embraced by two prominent wrapping aerodynamic appendages. While shockingly bold and technical, Bertone Mantide’s unique design maintains a sensuality unique to Italian sports cars thanks to a futuristic interpretation of the classic Kamm Back two volume silhouette.
The aerospace inspired design aesthetic is further characterized by innovative yet beautiful forms which are fully driven by performance: the low-slung nose, jet fighter style teardrop canopy and butterfly opening doors, as well as the numerous air inlets and exhausts for maximum air efficiency.
Bertone Mantide also boasts cutting edge aerodynamic performance fine-tuned in an advanced full scale wind tunnel. Features include a Le Mans prototype-derived flat floor and diffuser as well as “flying buttresses” which help to increase aero efficiency, guarantee a lower drag coefficient and greater levels of down force. The final aerodynamic results are class leading, with drag reduced by 25% 30% improvement in down force. Bertone Mantide not only delivers greater speed and stability, but also more efficiency and therefore lower fuel consumption.
Bertone Mantide promises even greater performance than the ZR1, due to significant weight savings and its highly advanced aerodynamics. Using carbon fibber for all body panels, interior trim, seats and even the wheels, the overall vehicle weight has been reduced by 100 kilos. Theresult is a staggering 0-62mph in 3.2 seconds and a top speed of 351 km/h (217mph) Safety and chassis rigidity have been increased with the incorporation of an FIA regulation triangulated roll cage, light-weight carbon fibber racing seats and 4pt racing harness for track use.
A new era is dawing at Stile Bertone with Marie Jeanne Bertone and new design director Jason Castriota at the helm. Jason Castriota, the New York-born Italian designer of some of the most talked-about supercars in history. Stay tuned each week for more behind-the-scenes details on Jason's latest project.
STILE BERTONE invites you to follow Bertone Mantide on its year-long journey as it travels to major auto events around the globe at
www.insideprojectm.com
Re: Bertone Mantide - Un nou concept spectaculos marca Bertone
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