1972 De Tomaso Pantera

us@bonhams. com for scheduling. THE PANTERA First introduced in 1970 at the New York Auto Show, Alejandro de Tomaso's Pantera (Italian for "panther") quickly became one of the most revered supercars of the 1970s.

Incorporating a chassis designed and built by Lamborghini designer Gian Paolo Dallara clothed in wedge styling by Tom Tjaarda, and mated to a mid-mounted Ford 351ci "Cleveland" V-8 engine, the Pantera combined exotic European style and engineering with a reliable American powerplant. Ford quickly recognized De Tomaso as an opportunity to build upon its international endurance racing successes of the 1960s. Sold through select Lincoln-Mercury dealers from 1971 to 1974, the Pantera, which succeeded the De Tomaso Mangusta, offered 330hp driven through a gated five-speed manual transmission.

This set up provided for terrific performance and superior handling abilities; Car and Driver recorded a zero-to-sixty time of 5. 5 seconds and a top speed in excess of 150 miles per hour. The V8's torque was harnessed thanks to power-assisted four-wheel disc brakes, while rack and pinion steering was standard.

Several modifications were made for the 1972 model year. A new four-bolt main Cleveland engine was employed utilizing a lower compression ratio, chiefly to meet US emissions standards, but with more aggressive camshaft timing in an effort to reclaim some of the power lost through the reduction in compression. Many other engine changes were made, including the use of a factory exhaust header.

Amenities that American buyers expected, such as electric windows and air conditioning, came standard in the Pantera. Indeed, Road & Track named the Pantera the 1973 "Sports Car of the Year. " Panteras ceased to be officially imported into the United States after 1975, and indeed the early cars with their clean lines and details are the most desirable examples today.

THE MOTORCAR OFFERED Finished in red with golden wheels, the Pantera offered was well kept by its late owner. As an avid collector multiplying the number of vehicles owned, the time spent on his precious pieces naturally has to be divided by the number of them; thus, it seems like this special one has remained static for some time. Therefore, some mechanical check should be done before safe road-use.

Once done, the car should be the perfect head-turner for any Sunday drive or car meeting.