Fiat Group to Make an Offer to Buy Carozzeria Bertone

The Fiat Group's appetite for acquiring automakers has yet to lose its edge. Today it was confirmed that Fiat S.p.A will make a 'non-binding offer' for Italian automotive design and contract manufacturing firm, Carrozeria Bertone that could be sold as part of a bankruptcy proceeding. It is reported that the deadline to make bids for the Italian coachbuilder is Thursday, July 16 with court administrators planning to have the sale completed by the end of the month.

Other companies interested in buying Bertone are said to include Chinese automaker FAW, an unnamed Spanish consortium and Italian entrepreneurs Gianmario Rossignolo and Domenico Reviglio.

Aside from the Carrozeria Bertone's design and engineering capability for specialty vehicles and concept cars, the firm also has a manufacturing plant in Turin. According to the coachbuilder's official site, the Grugliasco factory covers a total area of 310,000 sq.m. and has a potential output of around 70,000 vehicles per year.

The maker of the Corvette ZR-1 based Mantide concept supercar currently employs 1,140 people, down from 1,450 at the end of 2007.

Bertone Mantide: Final Episode of Video Series Plus New Photos

Eventually, even the always news-hungry online media became tired of Bertone's overzealous efforts to promote the Corvette ZR1 based concept car, so the last episode of the company's multi-part series documenting the design and development of the Mantide went by unnoticed the most part. Which is actually a shame as the tenth episode is probably the most interesting of the series. It includes a mini interview with the Mantide's designer, Jason Castriota, as well as new shots of the controversially styled supercar that may be produced in a limited run of up to 10 examples. Check out the video and the latest photos after the jump.