Bertone Mantide news - Mantide after ’Ring record? - 2009

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Is the extraordinary Bertone Mantide out for the Nurburgring lap record?

Reports have reached us that the owner of the first Mantide, British gentleman racer Dan Watkins, is planning to take his £1.3 million supercar to the ’Ring with the aim of smashing the Corvette ZR1's production car record.

That record stands at 7 minutes 26.4 seconds, but on paper the Mantide should go quicker: it shares its underpinnings and 6.2-litre, 620bhp V8 with the ZR1, but is 100kg lighter, 25 per cent more slippery and generates 30 per cent more downforce. It'll manage the 0-60mph sprint in just 3.2 seconds, while the ZR1 takes a pedestrian 3.5 seconds.

We're told that Watkins is considering renting out the ’Ring for three days and hiring a Nordschliefe expert driver in order to secure the record.

If Baron Von Stiggington is busy, Mr Watkins, could we recommend the lovely Sabine Schmitz?