Jalopnik: inside project m

Inside Project M: The Final Episode

The Auto Insider — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 16:30:00 EDT

It doesn't matter whether your opinion's positive or negative of designer Jason Castriota and his Corvette ZR1-based Bertone Mantide, either way it's a marvel of modern design. Here's the final episode of Inside Project M.

Stile Bertone Mantide: Part Corvette ZR1, Part Italian Model

The Auto Insider — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 07:00:00 EDT

Meet the one-off Bertone Mantide — part Corvette ZR1, part Italian model, all sex appeal. Designed by Jason Castriota, the Mantide may even outshine his last great design, James Glickenhaus' Pininfarina P4/5. Exclusive gallery below.

There's something we really hate and that's covering bespoke supercars we'll never own, built specifically for the über-rich. Really though, we secretly like the Mantide. Okay fine... we love it. Designed by Jason Castriota of Pininfarina P4/5 fame, the Bertone Mantide had its coming out party today at the Shanghai Auto Show to one very surprised writer — me. I honestly thought that I'd hate this thing, thinking to myself; "Ick, another Corvette-based supercar?" But it truly is a beautiful work of art, best appreciated in the flesh.

Stile Bertone started with the best 'Vette platform yet, the 638-horsepower supercharged LS9 2009 Corvette ZR1. By creating the Mantide's body shell in carbon fiber, they were able to shave off 220 lbs from the already lightweight ZR1 allowing it to rocket to 62mph in 3.2 seconds and break police radar detectors and lasers with its 217mph top speed.

Bertone Press Release
Stile Bertone is proud to present the ULTRA HIGH PERFORMANCE one-off MANTIDE.

Few, if any, automobiles have been as awe-inspiring as the show-stopping 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

TRADITION

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. 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.

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, 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 characterised 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.

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% (Cd 0.298) and a 30% improvement in down force. The Mantide not only delivers greater speed and stability, but also more efficiency and therefore lower fuel consumption.

The Mantide promises even greater performance than the ZR1, due to significant weight savings and its highly advanced aerodynamics. Using carbon fibre for all body panels, interior trim, seats and even the wheels, the overall vehicle weight has been reduced by 100 kilos. The result is a staggering 0-62mph in 3.2 seconds and a top speed of 351 kph (217mph) Safety and chassis rigidity have been increased with the incorporation of an FIA regulation triangulated roll cage, light-weight carbon fibre racing seats and 4pt racing harness for track use.

Stile Bertone invites you to follow Mantide on its year-long journey as it travels to major auto events around the globe at www.insideprojectm.com

[via Bertone]

Bertone Mantide Wind-Testing In The Dark

Matt Hardigree — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 14:30:00 EDT

We recently learned the Corvette ZR1-based Project M will be called the Mantide. Thanks to this wind tunnel photo we've lightened up a bit, we also have an idea of what it will look like.

For those who haven't been following the documentary, this vehicle is a one-off multi-million dollar supercar being created by Bertone and designer Jason Castriota of P4/5 fame.

From this heavily photoshopped photo we can start to see the shape of the vehicle, including the protruding grille, extended greenhouse and an abundance of side features. Most curiously is the object sticking out above the rear wheel. Is it a piece of testing equipment? Is it a duct of some sort? Is it there to make us look silly when we photoshop this picture? We're not sure. You can click here to see the original.

[AutoBlog, TwitPic]

Stile Bertone Project M: A Corvette ZR1 In Disguise!

Ray Wert — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 08:00:00 EDT

The chassis for the Stile Bertone Project M one-off super car? It's a 2009 Corvette ZR1. We should have known Jason Castriota's one-off project car documented in a Bradley Farrell-produced web-series would be a Chevy.

Inside Project M: Nissan GT-R-Based?

Ray Wert — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 10:00:00 EDT

One episode of Bradley Farrell's "Inside Project M" documentary on Bertone's new concept left before the car's officially unveiled. For now, there's this new teaser shot that's got us asking, is it Nissan GT-R-based?

Here's what we know so far:

1.) The Shanghai car will be a styling model not the real car
2.) The actual car will be released on on the track April 23 at the Balocco proving grounds near Turin for a VIP showing let me know if you would like to come and I can make sure you can get in I can also get you a exclusive interview with Jason as well?

3.) On April 25 and 26, the Bertone one-off will have its first public outing on the lawn at the concours d'elegance at Villa d'Este on Lake Como.

4.) perhaps the biggest news is it's a front-engine car so that kills the Lamborghini theory despite many believing it was going to be on a Lambo chassis.

5.) The car will have a full greenhouse effect like P4/5

6.) The car will be 250 lbs lighter, be all carbon fiber with better areo and downforce then the donor shell.

What we don't know? Whether it'll be made from a Nissan GT-R body as Edmunds Inside Line believes. Of course, they think everything is a GT-R, don't they? But regardless of their GT-R-gasm, those design lines leading up to the rear wheels, combined with the rear wheel arches shown near the end of this latest YouTube video look very GT-R like. Here's the frame screen capture, tell us what you think. [Inside Project M]

Inside Project M, Chapter Two: It's Smiling At Us

Ray Wert — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 12:30:00 EDT

We exclusively revealed Jason Castriota's plans for a new Bertone one-off project supercar, and we've already shown you the first episode of Bradley Farrell's documentary. Here's chapter two. And oh, hey, look, it's smiling!

When you're done watching the video, remember to sign up for their Twitter feed (and remember to sign up for the official Jalopnik Twitter feed. Heck, even sign up for mine while you're there) to learn about new chapters as they happen before the one-off car is debuted officially at the Shanghai Motor Show. [via Inside Project M]

Inside Project M: First Chapter of Supercar Designer Jason Castriota’s New Project

Peter Orosz — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 08:00:00 EDT

After the documentary teaser last week, here's the first chapter featuring Jason Castriota gearing up for the launch of his new supercar in April at his new workplace, Stile Bertone. Also, the teaser shot above.

Following last week’s news of Italian space jacket-clad ex-Pininfarina designer Jason Castriota’s new supercar to be unveiled in April at the Shanghai Motor Show, here is the first episode of Inside Project M, a documentary series by Kinetic Fin and Bradley Farrell about his new car. Castriota talks about the heritage of his new employer, Bertone, and how car designers have an arc of creativity in the first chapter of Bradley Farrell's documentary of the build:

The American-born Castriota has done more to advance teenage boy bedroom decorations that any other designer since the early 70s. In a few short years at Pininfarina, he has built up an awesome portfolio. He has had a hand in designing the Ferrari 599 GTB and the Maserati GranTurismo and has created two of the most beautiful one-off cars ever made: the Maserati Birdcage 75^th and James Glickenhaus’s Ferrari P4/5. As of December 1, 2008, Castriota is the design director of Pininfarina archrival Stile Bertone.

We also have an exclusive still shot of Castriota’s new supercar. Here it is, in Maserati racing colors:

Now, you might be thinking along the lines of “Hey Jalopnik, that’s a vague car shape covered with a rumpled tarp on a forklift!” Do not despair. We happen to have a similar photograph of Castriota’s previous project:

And look how well that turned out:

Follow Project M yourself at the website or on Twitter.

EXCLUSIVE: Stile Bertone's Jason Castriota Designing New Multi-Million Dollar One-Off Super Car

Ray Wert — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 15:30:00 EST

Jason Castriota, the designer of James Glickenhaus' breathtakingly beautiful P4/5, is now working with Stile Bertone. He's developing a one-off super car to be revealed at April's Shanghai Auto Show. We've got the inside story.

Well, actually, all we've got is the first chapter. The following film is the first chapter in a film project put together by super car fan-boy and big-time marketing man Bradley Farrell. You'll be able to follow along with the whole story of the new Stile Bertone super car yourself at their website — Inside Project M. Or, just watch the chapter here when they become available.

UPDATE: We're also told they're on twitter here. Have we mentioned we're on Twitter here — or alternatively, one of us is here.