The De Tomaso Pantera: A True Italian Stallion

The De Tomaso Pantera is a true Italian Stallion. It’s a classic sports car that was first introduced in 1971 and was in production until 1993. In that time, it became an icon of the Italian automotive industry. The Pantera was designed by Giugiaro and powered by a Ford V8 engine. It was one of the first mid-engined cars to be mass-produced and it quickly gained a reputation for being fast, stylish, and exotic.

Introduction

The Pantera was originally introduced as a concept car at the 1970 New York Auto Show. It generated so much interest that De Tomaso decided to put it into production. The first production model was unveiled at the 1971 Geneva Motor Show.

The Pantera had a steel unibody chassis with fiberglass body panels. It was powered by a Ford 351 Cleveland V8 engine that produced 330 hp. The engine was mated to a ZF 5-speed manual transmission. The interior was sparse but well-appointed, with leather seats and Recaro bucket seats available as an option.

The Rise & Fall

The Pantera quickly gained a reputation for being fast and exotic. It could accelerate from 0-60 mph in 5.5 seconds and had a top speed of 156 mph. In 1973, Car and Driver tested the Pantera and found that it could accelerate from 0-100 mph in 11 seconds.

The Pantera remained in production until 1993, when De Tomaso went bankrupt. In all, 7,261 Panteras were built during its 22-year production run.

Conclusion

The De Tomaso Pantera is a true Italian Stallion. It’s fast, stylish, and exotic–everything you could want in a classic sports car. If you’re lucky enough to find one for sale, snap it up quick! You won’t regret it.

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