Viva Italia DeTomaso Pantera

1971 DeTomaso Pantera

On display at the VIVA ITALIA Concours D’Elegance 2008 were two DeTomaso Panteras (Italian for Panthers). Their bold lines and body configuration were of interest to many mid-engine enthusiasts.

An Italian Ford?
Ford Motor Company was looking for a car to compete with the General Motors built Corvette, seeking to build a mid-engine car which could be affordable to everyone. Ford saw the answer in the DeTomaso Pantera, an Italian sports car produced through a partnership between Ford Motor Company and DeTomaso. They already had a relationship with Alejandro DeTomaso and his production companies based in Italy. Panteras were produced from 1971 until 1991, featuring a new body design – steel monocoque design. Monocoque (single shell) or structural skin is a construction technique which uses the auto’s external skin to support the structural load of the vehicle, as opposed to using an internal frame covered by a non-load bearing skin. This body building technique was first employed in the aircraft building industry in the 1930’s. The mid-engine of the Pantera is set higher than on most other mid-engine vehicles; that coupled with improved weight distribution, an aggressive body design, and new styling for the rims and tires made the DeTomaso Pantera a dream car for many enthusiasts.

DeTomaso Pantera
The first Panteras produced were powered by Ford’s 351 cu. in. V8 which produced 330 hp. The Pantera featured the ZF transaxle used on its predecessor the DeTomaso Mangusta and the Maserati Bora. Included as standard equipment were four-wheel disc brakes and rack and pinion steering. The Pantera took only 5.5 seconds to accelerate to 60 mph according the Car and Driver magazine.
In the American market, Panteras were sold through Lincoln Mercury dealerships beginning in the latter part of 1971. The first 75 units, known for their push-button door handles and hand built Carrozzeria Bignale bodies, were simply imported European models. After the first year saw a total of 1,007 units imported several modifications were made for the 1972 model year. They featured a new 4-bolt main – 351 cu. in. Cleveland Engine adapted to meet US emissions standards and to run on lower octane gasoline. The adaptations included the use of factory exhaust headers (as opposed to hand-built), lower compression (from 11:1 to 8.6:1), and more aggressive camshaft timing to reclaim power lost through the reduction in compression.
Another introduction in 1972 included the “Lusso” or luxury Pantera L. This model featured black bumpers exclusively for the US market (in an answer to US standards requiring bumpers) and a 248 hp Cleveland engine. In 1974 the Pantera GTS featured even more luxury features and different badging.
In 1975 Ford ended their importation of the Pantera after having sold nearly 5,500 units in the US. More than a decade after Ford’s departure DeTomaso continued to sell the car with ever-escalating performance and luxury upgrades. The final imports to the United States were by so-called ‘gray-market’ importers such as Panteramerica and Amerisport.
The DeTomaso Pantera is one of many Italian sports cars which will be on display when Mr. Tire presents VIVA ITALIA Concours D’Elegance to benefit The Children’s Guild on September 27 ,2009 at Harbor East, Baltimore. Won’t you join us as we help raise funds for The Children’s Guild’s many programs to help some of Maryland and the District of Columbia’s children who are most in need of special educational opportunities?