The world is full of supercar startups that never
made it. Some we hear about, some we don't. Magnate falls more in the latter
column, but looking at this rare prototype, we can't help but wish that it had
succeeded. Information is sketchy at best, but what we appear to be looking at
is a failed attempt to revive the Bizzarrini name.
The Italian supercar manufacturer was a brief flash
in the pan in the 1960s, spearheaded by former Ferrari and Alfa Romeo engineer
Giotto Bizzarrini. The company closed in 1969, but about a decade ago, UK-based
Galmer Engineering revealed its plans to resurrect the marque with a new
supercar.
The idea was to revive Bizzarrini's original P538 in
modern form. The design called for a carbon-fiber bodywork over a tubular frame
with the Corvette Z06's 7.0-liter LS7 V8 in the middle kicking out 505
horsepower. That may not sound like all that much for a supercar these days,
but it was competitive with the Ferrari F430 (483 hp), Lamborghini Gallardo
(513 hp), and Ford GT (550 hp) that it would have to rival at that time.
Despite the reported blessing of its namesake, the
project failed to get off the ground. It was subsequently rebranded as the
Magnate P708, which didn't fare any better.
Anyway, the first prototype is
coming up for auction.RM Sotheby's estimates it will sell for around € 300-500k
in Paris during Retromobile week in February. Those who really miss the
Bizzarrini marque will also find a pair of originals from 1968 up for auction
at the same event: a 1900 GT Europa (estimated value € 250-300k) and a 5300 GT
Strada (€ 800k- 1m). Though the originals wear European plates and the new
prototype Montana ones, we wouldn't be surprised if they all come from the same
collection.
