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Few gearheads have ever heard of the Mazzanti Evantra, which is strange, seeing as it packs Bugatti-levels of power and performance.

No other nation on the planet does supercars quite like the Italians, home to legends such as Ferrari, Lamborghini, Maserati, and Pagani. However, the pool of exotica has another member that flies by the name of Mazzanti Automobili, a little known Tuscany-based carmaker that is already challenging the greatest names with their Evantra range.

Smaller in recognition Mazzanti isn't a name you will find on any main street, glitzy showrooms are not on the Italian carmaker's agenda, preferring to deal directly with customers craving a custom specified, and built, supercar. With Mazzanti, rarity and exclusivity are what separates the Evantra from the crowds. Rarity adds an air of mystery, gearheads on the street are sure to stop and stare, asking "what is it?" left scratching their heads wondering how they're never heard of either brand or model, closely followed by a need to know a myriad of questions relating to speed, power, and price tags. Never heard of Mazzanti? Read on and the Evantra has a surprising beginning, development and evolutionary story to tell, one promising more intrigue than its biggest rivals.

Founded in 2001 not as a supercar manufacturer but a back to grassroots car restoration business, Mazzanti Automobili as it became known, was a collaboration project between Luca Mazzanti and Walter Faralli.

Fast-forward eight years and the Evantra was born, well almost. Still a highly stylized conceptual idea that would take a further three years before the final design was signed off, even then mid-development changes were common place. The first prototype making its debut at the 2013 Top Marques show, wowing crowds and partners alike.

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One highly unsuspected fan of the Evantra, Sony Computer Entertainment, so taken with the Evantra's modern supercar story and design, purchased the rights to its digital persona for the Driveclub title on the dominant PS4 platform, selling over 2 million copies worldwide. Gaming success boosted Mazzanti's image no end, the Evantra making appearances in several other racing games since.

Both Sonys support and thousands of young racers the world over gave Mazzanti a gentle nudge to take the next step. Production beginning in earnest late in 2013. Mazzanti's Pontedera, Tuscany facility tasked with producing 5 Evantras per year, making this one of the rarest Italian supercars you're ever likely to come across.

Exclusivity doesn't come cheap to either manufacturer or potential customers, list prices depending on specification kicking off around $1 million a pop. At an estimated maximum 5 cars per year since 2014, total Evantra production managing a life-long turnover of $40 million begs the question of how does Mazzanti deliver supercar performance and rarity.

Owing its very existence to an innovative and image bolstering funding program, Mazzanti gave gearheads the opportunity to buy into the Italian carmaker's very core, the first carmaker in history to resort to crowdfunding. Potential customers and investors lined up raising $613,000, more than double the original requirement.

Mazzanti proudly boasts a 100% designed, crafted and manufactured in Italy pedigree, but even the biggest names in the car industry turn to external sources which wouldn't be financially viable on low production volumes.

Scanning the carmaker's website reveals the Evantra isn't just some cobbled together off the shelf parts supercar, each of the brand's working partners are well established brands in their own right. Tires, wheels, and brakes, for example, are sourced from Michelin, OZ Racing, and Brembo, respectively.

Jaw dropping Italian looks hide a secret that should bestow a degree of comfort among gearheads concerned with niggling reliability issues that plague small-volume supercar makers the world over. Mazzanti played it safe, opting for a tried and tested powertrain.

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Lift the rear deck and buried deep inside is a naturally aspirated 7-liter motor churning out 741 hp. While the cam covers are emblazoned with Mazzanti branding, the engine itself comes from much further afield and is shared with Chevrolet's Corvette. Throughout the Evantra's checkered development, the LS7 motor has undergone several changes, turbocharger and superchargers all making an appearance pushing power output to over 1200 hp in the Millecavelli R.

While the Evantra has evolved into ever more potent variants, the same base layout remains the same, right down to the cockpit. On the inside a slew of driver centric information is fed back on a centrally mounted display high above a central tunnel, only the bare essentials are presented to the driver via an unusual steering hub LCD.

Everything else is tailored to each owner, trim materials and colors only limited by the imagination, Mazzanti for a price naturally able to match any vivid combination you care to dream up. While other carmakers deliver a similar level of customizing, Mazzanti takes custom-made" to another level.

How many supercars, once done with the trim details, offer up the option of carbon fiber or aluminum bodywork? The merits of one material over another are largely moot, this is after all a 200+ mph supercar, one that regardless of preference will set you back well into seven digit price tag territory, not withstanding a long agonizing wait for delivery.

Beneath the exotic handcrafted body, things are a little more down to earth, regardless of the customer's final choice, the Evantra uses a traditional box-section steel chassis topped with chrome-molybdenum tubes bolted to a separate rear cage carrying the engine and transmission.

Designed to take on the biggest names in supercars currently on sale, Mazzanti claims the Evantra will reach 60 mph in 3.2-seconds, going on to record a top speed of 217 mph, pretty handy considering the original launched back in 2014 with 751 hp.

By modern comparisons, both La Ferrari and the Aventador would struggle to shrug off the Evantra in both acceleration and outright speed, and that's before you consider what Mazzanti has done with the Evantra since.

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Mazzanti, named after its founder, is straight forward enough, the brand's first supercar has taken on the Evantra name, or Goddess of Immortality, which would go on to be a very fitting title. Since breaking cover back in 2013, the Evantra has steadily evolved, engine displacements and forced induction transforming the already quick into a road-going missile with performance on per with Bugatti's Chiron.

First came the mildly warmed over Evantra 771 boasting an unsurprising 771 hp V8s, followed in quick succession by the 781 using a beefed up version of the Pura's smaller 6.2-liter supercharged V8 with a focus on track use. At the extremes of just how fast gearheads think they need to go, Millecavelli R spec adds a small bump in displacement, 7.3 liters and twin turbochargers cranking out 1211 hp, with a claimed top speed of 250 mph.

Raised in a car-obsessed environment from an early age ensured a keen interest in anything car-related. first and foremost an F1 fan, but also an avid follower of other motorsports. Professional background working closely with a well established UK based Supercar manufacturer in recent years.