Jay Leno could be second buyer of Bertone Mantide
Bertone Mantide - Click either pic for a high-res image gallery
Following its official unveiling in Shanghai, the Bertone Mantide has begun to make the auto show rounds, beginning with an appearance at the Goodwood Festival of Speed where its designer, Jason Castriota, drove the coachbuilt coupe up Lord March's driveway. The next stop on the Mantide's world tour includes a stint at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance in August, where the rebodied Corvette ZR1 will either be shipped or driven to Monterey by the Mantide's owner, a British ex-pat residing in the States.
Although the video after the jump doesn't reveal exactly who purchased the first of ten Mantides (he's a gentleman racer who owns a substantial car collection that includes a McLaren F1, and has raced in the Ferrari F430 Challenge Series), according to our sources, Jay Leno is potentially in the offing to receive the next production model.Leno, who attended Goodwood earlier this month, spent a considerable amount of time with Castriota during the event and apparently fell in love with the Mantide. According to reports, Leno would be the fourth or fifth client to put an order in for the re-imagined 'Vette, at a reported cost of around $2 million. Thanks to Bradley Farrell from Kinetic Fin for the update.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Alex 3:01PM (7/22/2009)
I always assumed that Leno's race suit was made of denim.
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Brian 3:34PM (7/22/2009)
Yeah, I thought he only wore blue denim when he isn't on his show.
dukeisduke 4:38PM (7/22/2009)
The suit looks like it was borrowed from someone at UK's Channel 4. It has the Channel 4 logo on the right chest with the FIA WRC logo under it, and a name (maybe "Jeffrey ...?") on the waistband, along with the Union Jack.
Taglane 3:03PM (7/22/2009)
Anyone *not* surprised?
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John P. 3:08PM (7/22/2009)
That car sounds Fantastic and looks great at speed! Congrats to Jay Leno for being able to get one.
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jav 3:48PM (7/22/2009)
that was the dorkiest thing i ever heard anyone say....ever.
Vincenzo 4:02PM (7/22/2009)
that is the Ugliest car Ihave ever seen!
Look at the front end??!! Euuugh
Just cas you can draw something never seen before, doesn't mean it will look good full scale...!
Duck Bill
Matt 4:24AM (7/23/2009)
And "Mantide" sounds more like a gay nightclub than a name for a car
Lucas 3:09PM (7/22/2009)
Whats with the Mr. Potato Head mustache on the front of the car?? Oooof.
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meshies 4:59PM (7/22/2009)
i lol'd
Lucas 5:06PM (7/22/2009)
:-) Here all week.... every week, in fact. I need a job.
Carlos 3:13PM (7/22/2009)
This car is sinfully ugly
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AC0 3:47PM (7/22/2009)
Yeah... i unfortunately made the mistake of giving my opinion to my friend as to how ugly i thought it was. Unfortunately, and a few seconds late, i realised i was indeed standing next to the designer of the car. Awkward.
Heimbachae 3:48PM (7/22/2009)
thank you for posting the obvious before i had to.
alauro 4:45PM (7/22/2009)
Marketing and PR are wonderful things!
That's the only way I can understand any success this pig of a design has. It's like the Hasselhoff of kit cars. F-U-G-L-Y!!!!
fmwso 6:43PM (7/22/2009)
lol at AC0, are you for real? I second what you said Carlos
TigerMil 3:24PM (7/22/2009)
Mama always said that just because you can doesn't mean you should.
Still, it's Leno's money and he can spend it any way he wants. Leno probably owns an Aztec too...who knows, in 40 years the Aztec will be a collector car like the Edsel, just because IT is so ugly that few people bought it.
Personally, I think the rebodied Corvette just plain fugly.
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CB 3:26PM (7/22/2009)
Anybody know Leno's net worth? The guy never seems to be lacking for enough cash to buy any car he wants.
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RG 3:42PM (7/22/2009)
Numerous rumors and reports put his net worth somewhere around the $1B mark.
madgamer 4:02PM (7/22/2009)
He made something like a million dollars per episode when doing the tonight show, so it is certainly up there.