Antas soars above common exotica

Then perhaps you need one of these swoopy, retro-laden coupes. It's dubbed the Antas V8 and was unveiled at the recent Top Marques show in Monaco.

In case you're wondering about the moniker, 'Antas' means eagle  -- "the noblest and most audacious dominator of open spaces," according to the company's blurb -- in the ancient Tuscan language of the Etruscans.

Built by Italian classic car restoration company Faralli and Mazzanti, it's said to be inspired by the philosophy and construction methods employed by exotica of yesteryear. It's said to be based on an in-depth study of the "stylistic evolution of the Italian automobile of from the 1930s to the end of the 1960s."

F&M argues that this was a "golden era in which elements of style were created and developed, and even today put their imprint on the most beautiful lines of automobiles of the world."

In keeping with the Antas V8's philosophy, it's a given that the body is hewn from aluminium and crafted entirely by hand.

Unlike every other contemporary car, there was no computer-aided design; everything "came from the heart, from the imagination and the capable hands of experts". Even the construction process was achieved without involving computer-governed machines.

The first drafts were done on paper: Faralli first developed it in 1:1 scale, then traced the final lines, always rigorously drawn. A dummy was constructed of iron tubes bent and modelled by hand, then it was built on the aluminium frame, allegedly with the same methodology of the great coachbuilders of the past.

There's no high-tech carbonfibre bits in sight, as the Antas remains true to Italian grand touring cars of the 1960s. The frame is a steel box, on which rests the labyrinth of tubes and sheet metal structure that supports the hand-crafted aluminium skin.

Also absent is any electronic engine management trickery, the Antas relying instead on a good old-fashioned quartet of Weber downdraft carburettors. The engine itself is a Maserati-sourced quad-cam V8.

To add to the sense of occasion, the Antas comes equipped with a case covered in blue velvet bearing the silver plate with the identification numbers -- inside are a photo album and a DVD documenting the construction of the vehicle.

The price? The company hasn't divulged a figure, but if you need to ask, then you probably can't afford it…

ANTAS V8 SPECIFICATIONS
Engine: 90-degree 4.7-litre V8 with double-overhead camshafts
Induction: Four Weber twin-choke downdraft carburettors
Power: 227kW at 6000rpm
Torque: 422Nm at 3500rpm
Transmission: ZF five-speed manual
Body: Steel box frame with aluminium skin
Front suspension: Flexible transverse quadrilateral with spiral spring, telescopic shock absorbers and stabiliser bar
Rear suspension: Rigid axle with telescopic shock absorbers and stabiliser bar
Brakes: Four-wheel discs -- 294mm front and 285mm rear
Wheels: 7x17-inch alloy
Tyres: 205/50x17 (front); 225/55x17 (rear)