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In a visual novel written in American English, I have found the following passage, as a character is describing the contents of his room, which is themed around car racing (emphasis is mine):

Damon: Can you tell me what's inside your dorm room?
[…]
Jett: Hm… I got a pretty gnarly collection of parts and accessories. Blind spot mirrors, lithium batteries, wheels, spare brakes—you name it. Oh, I even have the legendary mantle from the 1984's Grand Prix winning speedster!

I am having trouble figuring out what the word mantle might mean in this context. Looking at the Merriam-Webster dictionary definitions, the only plausible definition seemed to be a loose sleeveless garment worn over other clothes, but it seems odd that a speedster would wear a cloak.

My question is if this use of the word mantle is correct, what it means in this context and if there are other attestations of it being used with this meaning.

Edit: Let me go through the dictionary definitions to show why I am having trouble deciphering this sentence.

1a a loose sleeveless garment worn over other clothes: cloak

Why would a speedster wear something like that? @Linguafranca suggests that it could be the sash/scarf the winner is wearing in the photo they linked, which however does not seem to match the definition.

1b a figurative cloak symbolizing preeminence or authority

The mantle is an object inside the character's room. I cannot see how the figurative meaning can apply here.

2a something that covers, enfolds, or envelops

While this could mean quite anything that covers, enfolds or envelops, I am having trouble with figuring out what it could mean in the context of a Grand Prix winning speedster. Maybe the coachwork? I have not found any attestations of the coachwork of a car being referred to as a mantle, though.

2b-5b [omissis]

These are all technical definitions that are clearly not relevant to the quote.

6 mantel

As far as I understand, mantel is the preferred spelling in American English, and the writers are American, which makes this option less likely. That being said, if interpreted in the meaning 2b, it might be referring to the spoiler, like @FumbleFingers suggested. However, I also could not find attestations of mantle or mantel used as spoiler.

Edit 2: I thought it would be worth mentioning that this was not translated from another language. It was written directly in Englis by people from the USA.

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    Mantle: a figurative cloak symbolizing preeminence or authority. MW Commented 2 days ago
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    I think it's something obscure to do with car mechanics but not really on topic here. Commented 2 days ago
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    I think using "1984's"( vs. just 1984 Grand Prix) is odd, not natural. Maybe it's a translation issue? But the context would suggest a part or accessory, the last but most noteworthy of a list; i.e., one of a kind ("the legendary mantle"). Commented 2 days ago
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    Given a mantle can be a shelf, perhaps it's a rear spoiler, aerofoil Commented 2 days ago
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    @StuartF, I don't know why it wouldn't be on topic, it's stumping a lot of us native speakers and seems to be an odd English usage that's worthy of asking about. Commented yesterday

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I'm going to guess this might be an error by the author. Formula 1 cars don't have mantles, but they do have cowls:

A cowling (or cowl) is the removable covering of a vehicle's engine, most often found on automobiles, motorcycles, airplanes, and on outboard boat motors.

Cowl can also a synonym for mantle, but only in the sense of a piece of clothing.

Mantle:

A mantle (from old French mantel, from mantellum, the Latin term for a cloak) is a type of loose garment usually worn over indoor clothing to serve the same purpose as an overcoat. Technically, the term describes a long, loose cape-like cloak worn from the 12th to the 16th century by both sexes, although by the 19th century, it was used to describe any loose-fitting, shaped outer garment similar to a cape.

Cowl:

A cowl is an item of clothing consisting of a long, hooded garment with wide sleeves, often worn by monks. It was developed during the Early Middle Ages. The term may have originally referred to the hooded portion of a cloak, though contemporary usage refers to an entire closed garment.

It's possible the author confused these two similar words. If they meant that the character had the cowl from the Formula 1 car, it would fit in with the mention of car parts and accessories.

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  • But would it fit in a dorm room? Commented yesterday
  • @TinfoilHat I guess this is the visual novel Project: Eden's Garden based on the character names of Damon and Jett, a Danganronpa fangame; it appears each character has a lavish dorm room full of items relating to their "Ultimate" ability, which are much larger than a typical dorm room would be. Commented yesterday
  • @Showsni, as you guessed, if this is simply a cowl (synonymous to mantle), then why had the author described it as 'legendary mantle'? Commented yesterday
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The photo at the 1984 German Grand Prix race report shows what the mantle might be. From French manteau, it's originally a cloak. The gauze in a Tilly lamp is also an illuminated mantle.

  
Source: MotorSport Magazine

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    Please describe what's in the photo and explain how it's relevant. The page seems full of pop-ups and other things that make reading unpleasant, but regardless of that, you need to provide the information here. Commented 2 days ago
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    That article is behind a paywall. Commented yesterday
  • The image shows the winner Graham Hill's laurel wreath from the 1962 German Grand Prix Commented yesterday

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