Beyond seeing all the manufacturer production vehicles at the New York Auto Show, it’s always a quest to find the rare and obscure cars slip into Javits. The best opportunity is the downstairs hall occupied by the EV test track and enthusiast exhibitors.

At some point I heard the distinct rumble of a V8 and spotted a safety vest clad gentleman escorting a 2000s Qvale Mangusta down one of the show aisles. Designed by renowned Italian automotive designer Marcello Gandini, famous for his work on the Lamborghini Miura and Countach, the Mangusta is often referred to as the Italian TVR. Only 284 were ever produced, checking both rare and obscure boxes.

Elsewhere on the main floor was a pair of builds for Travis Pastrana videos. The first for a Bentley “Full Send” commercial featuring a custom 2026 Continental GT Supersports. The second is the Subaru Brat built for the 2025 gymkhana video where he somehow rockskipped the car across a small lake. Kind of a shame this car wasn’t displayed better instead of just surrounding it with a metal railing, eh budgets.

One final mention is what I can best identify as an early 1970s Toyota Toyopet Mark II 1900 wedged in to the R2X tuner collection. I’ve never seen one of these before. The robin’s egg blue sedan has been lowered at least had the side mirrors deleted. Quite a cool car with pre-Alpine A310 vibes.

Photos and Text: Dave Pinter