1971 DE TOMASO PANTERA

Having established his credentials as a serious manufacturer of sporting cars with the Mangusta, Alejandro De Tomaso turned his attention to a more ambitious mid-engined supercar, the Pantera. Introduced in 1971, it combined Italian design and engineering with the considerable muscle of Ford's 351ci (5.8-litre) Cleveland V8. The chassis and body adopted unitary construction, replacing the Mangusta's backbone frame, while a ZF five-speed transaxle provided the transmission. Styled by Tom Tjaarda at Carrozzeria Ghia, the striking coupé body was built by Vignale, both companies then part of De Tomaso's wider operation. The result was a compelling transatlantic blend of Italian sophistication and American V8 performance.

De Tomaso's relationship with Ford also brought the Pantera to a wider audience, with cars distributed in the United States through selected Lincoln-Mercury dealerships. The model evolved considerably over its production life, gaining successive mechanical and cosmetic revisions while retaining its distinctive mid-engined character. Production continued through a series of developments until 1993, giving the Pantera an unusually long life for an exotic sports car and securing its place among the most distinctive performance cars of its era.

The car offered here at the NEC Classic Motor Show 2026 is a 1971 example, identified as chassis THPNLS01945 and understood to be an early, narrow-body, flat-deck ‘Pre-L’ model. Delivered new to Arizona, it was subsequently imported into the UK and registered here in 2020 by an enthusiast collector. Since then, it has been maintained by an in-house mechanic and specialist workshop, with numerous invoices on file documenting the work undertaken and several considered updates intended to enhance drivability and reliability.

Presented in glorious Rosso, the Pantera features a smartly appointed cabin trimmed in black leather with contrasting ivory inlays and, at the time of cataloguing, the speedometer indicated just over 35,000 miles. The accompanying history file includes the specialists invoices and UK V5C registration document, offering useful insight into its more recent ownership and maintenance.

In summary, this is an appealing opportunity to acquire a highly desirable early Pantera, combining the character and rarity of the original narrow-body cars with a documented programme of specialist attention and sensible updates. For the enthusiast seeking an engaging example of De Tomaso's celebrated Italian-American supercar, it is a particularly attractive proposition.

Transmission: Manual