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Mansfield man sells luxury Panther De Ville car to Cruella movie

PA Media Cruella Panther De VillePA Media
The car combines 1930s styling with more modern engineering

A luxury car collector has said it was "amazing" to see one of his cars driven around on the big screen by Cruella de Vil.

Peter Mayo, from Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, sold his rare Panther De Ville to Disney for their new movie Cruella, starring Emma Stone.

The film tells the back story of Cruella De Vil, the fur-obsessed baddie from 101 Dalmatians.

The studio has been contacted for a comment.

Mr Mayo, an engineer, said he had watched the recently-released film at home, an experience he had found both "amazing" and "painful".

"Her car was a De Ville in the earlier movies, so it just has to be a De Ville now," he said.

"It was amazing seeing it on the screen but she's not as careful a driver as I am. It was quite painful to watch her driving it.

"It's weird, you cannot describe the feeling when the star of the movie is your car."

The Panther De Ville, which was launched in 1974, is closely modelled on a 1930s Bugatti Royale.

Walt Disney Pictures Emma Stone starring as CruellaWalt Disney Pictures
Emma Stone stars as Cruella in Disney's origin story

At 17ft 6in (5.3m) long and twice the price of a Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow, the car was aimed squarely at the super-rich and only 58 were made.

Mr Mayo said: "It was designed with modern parts but still to be way over-the-top.

"Elton John had one, Oliver Reed also and the Sultan of Brunei.

"It's fun to drive and when I take it out around Mansfield, people lean out of windows to take pictures."

Over time Mr Mayo bought two and was in the process of having the second restored when he saw an advert seeking a De Ville.

He said: "They came up and saw the one in bits and I quoted a price for when it was finished.

"They said, 'we'll give you a bit less and we'll come and fetch it tomorrow in bits'. They had to send two lorries to pick it up."

While not giving a specific figure, Mr Mayo said it sold for "nearing six figures".

Mr Mayo said he understood the car - which was modified for the movie - is now on display at Disneyland, California.

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