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In what’s bound to be one of the most obscure editions of Rare Rides yet, today’s ride is very limited-production in nature. So limited, in fact, that only one was produced. And it’s so limited in its exposure that the Internet can’t seem to decide the year it was actually built.
It’s hard to know where to start with this thing.
The story seems to begin back in the early 1990s; sources can agree on that much. They also agree the car was designed and built in the Czech Republic by a man named Vaclav Kral.
Kral was interested in car design from a young age, creating serious designs beginning around the age of 18. He went to work for Skoda as a young adult, then produced illustrations for Czech car magazines. Throughout his career he would continue designing cars, as well as dune buggies. A big break came for him after the fall of Czech communism: He went to work for Tatra and designed the MTX V8. Somewhere along this period in time is when the Mysterro came to life.
The vague time reference above is because the production date of the Mysterro is unclear. While the present listing indicates a model year of 1993, other information online says it’s 2000, and still other sources list 1995. What is clear is that this roadster is mid-engined and powered by a Corvette 5.7-liter V8.
The tubular space frame is unique to the Mysterro. No word on the construction of the shapely exterior body panels, but a good guess here is probably fiberglass. Corvette parts (aside from the engine) abound: suspension, brakes, and steering all from the Gold Bow Tie. The listing indicates 300 horsepower, which would lend credibility to an earlier 1990s production date and engine — the C5 Corvette’s 5.7 made 345 horsepower. The transmission is listed as a bespoke five-speed manual, but that seems a bit suspect for such a parts bin job.
What’s certainly bespoke looking is the interior — a mix of Momo, Recaro, and bubblegum pink leather. Two passengers face a carbon fiber dash, and there are covered luggage compartments right next to the engine for any non-melty items which may need storage.
Sources indicate a run of 25 vehicles was planned, yet only one was made. Eventually, its designer moved on to other things. Mr. Kral finished up his life concerned about the environmental impact of the very automobiles he spent most of his career creating. Between the late ’90s and the 2000s, he turned his attention to solar power technology, and started teaching at a university in Prague. He passed away in 2005 at the age of 69.
The Mystero is a bit of an enigma, but more pictures can be found at various sources online, including some which indicate this car used to have hidden headlamps. The seller has suggested a “realistic” offer somewhere around $291,000 USD.
Last I heard, most Innotech employees work at Intertrode now.
[Images: seller]
Wasn’t Innotech the rival software company for the protagonists in “Office Space”?
I came here to ask the same question.
I can’t tell if you all noticed the last line of the article.
Initech was the company they worked for. Intertrode (or some such spelling) was a rival company referred to a couple of times throughout the movie.
Oh, my (scratches head) there is so much going on with this vehicle and it’s all so red-ish
One thing, we know a trunk in the back is a trunk and a trunk in the front is a frunk, so what are trunks on the side, a sunk?
What are they called on motorcycles when they’re hard containers on the side, like on a GoldWing.
Saddle bags?
Pannier.
Thanks – that’s what I would call these then. A pannier.
Hideously ugly.
And unless you’re an Oompa Loompa, good luck fitting into that what appears to be a tight and ultra cramped cabin.
That interior is just fa-a-a-a-a-a-bulous!
This car’s definitely got a Ferrari F50 vibe to it.
That’s definitely some… interesting… engine bay packaging. Looks like the LT1 from the ’92-’96 C4 Corvette, which made an even 300 hp.
It’s not. It’s the L98 Tuned Port Injection that came between cross-fire and 1992-1996 LT-1. The L98 engine made 245hp in final form.
Looking again, it’s plumed for forced induction. May be a Calloway twin-turbo motor good for 345hp.
The Cizeta-Moroder looked cooler.
Barbie has to sign the registration before they can sell it.
Does Barbie have a last name, or is she famous enough to go by one name like Cher or Madonna?
I guess you don’t have a daughter? Her full name is Barbara Millicent Ross.
Her last name is Roberts (I’m the father of an almost 4 year old girl.)
So, is it Roberts or Ross? I have 2 boys, but I don’t even know G.I.Joe’s full name
Her last name was Doll, lol. Just kidding, according to Mattel it’s Barbie Millicent Roberts. G.I. Joe described different action figures (not dolls!) and was based on the film ‘G.I. Joe’ with Ernie Pyle and Robert Mitchum. Joe represented different service branches. They should have named Joe after Audie Murphy or one of the Sullivan brothers. Rumor has it that Ken lobbied Mattel to give Barbie the “Kung-Fu Grip”.
Amazing! Now I can only wonder what Ken’s last name was. It seems he’s always been referred to as Ken Doll, but I’m pretty sure Ken and Barbie never married… Rumor has it that it was because both are missing some important bits, so marriage seemed pointless
I know Denny Mrkvica, the principal of Innotech. They are still around and do various automotive related things. The last big project was the Innotech Aspiron. My company, Carma Cars, designed the chassis and suspension,for the Aspiron. An interesting note on the Mysterro – the buck (or plug) for pulling molds, was made of solid wood! The design was envisioned by Denny and the styling penned by someone who worked on the Tatra supercar (don’t know if it ever made the prototype stage).
But did Mr. Kral remember to put the cover sheet on his TPS reports?!