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REPORT: De Tomaso revival in the works
In the present automotive climate, with historic European marques being revived left, right and center, a name like de Tomaso couldn't lay dormant for long. The Modena-based supercar-maker (not unlike Pagani) founded by Argentine-Italian industrialist and former racing driver Alejandro de Tomaso had a colored history that included the production of such iconic sportscars as the Ford-powered Pantera and Mangusta. Along the way, de Tomaso also made a few racing cars – including an F1 car for Williams – and even tried its hand at Jaguar-rivaling luxury cars like the Deauville and the Longchamp, as well as temporarily taking over such stoic firms as Ghia, Vignale, Moto Guzzi, and, in between Citroen and Fiat ownership, even Maserati. After a last-ditch effort to produce a new Mangusta with Qvale went sour, however, the company dissolved in June 2004, shortly after the founder's passing.
The latest industry reports, however, suggest that the de Tomaso name might embark on a new future, lead by a group of American and Chinese investors. The company was last owned by MG-Rover, which closed it down after just one year. Back in the day, de Tomaso's most famous customer was Elvis Presley; if thousands can believe that Elvis is still alive, then certainly de Tomaso could be resuscitated as well. We'll be watching the gates of Graceland for emerging news.
[Source: Motor Authority]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
OC Rider 8:57PM (7/24/2007)
I first saw the Qvale Mangusta at the Orange County Swap Meet four years ago. It is a bizarre machine, priced around $50,000. My uncle and I were puzzled: how could anyone spend that kind of money on such a thing when there were Boxsters, Corvettes, and Z4s for less at the same area? I did hear from people who met Bruce Qvale, the founder's son, and noted his sadness about the firm's problems.
I love the Pantera, even though it was a terribly troubled car when it was being sold at Lincoln-Mercury dealerships in the 1970s. Restorers can fix those problems today, and the Pantera makes for a sharp Italian sports car every bit as cramped--yet fun--as a Lambo Miura or a Ferrari 365 GTC. Americans didn't have the chance to see the further evolution of the Pantera in the 1980s, so a possible return is overdue and welcome.
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pd 9:01PM (7/24/2007)
One of my favorite all-time cars. Thought Ford should have built a modern Pantera after finishing up the GT run, since they already had the chassis and powertrain in place.
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enumerated 11:58PM (7/24/2007)
The Pantera is one of the cars that got me "into cars". That and the RX-7. Even if it had it's problems, it seemed like a pure car.
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why not the LS2/LS7? 1:58AM (7/25/2007)
There used to be two of these at work (sometimes three), one of them with fuel injection and a blower!
They're sweet, except if you use the original rims (and you should, big rims look stupid on old cars), you can only get gatorbacks for the rear tires. They're not very sticky and they're not rated for high speeds.
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cheezwiz 5:44AM (7/25/2007)
I'd love to drive a Pantera and do some smoky burnouts. That would give a whole new meaning to "vulgar display of power."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vulgar_Display_of_Power
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Matt 9:36AM (7/25/2007)
MG NEVER owned DeTomaso, not even close. Only one other entity ever owned DeTomaso, and that was Ford, for just a short while, and was later sold fully back to Alejandro DeTomaso himself, who owned it until his death.
Many many investors, including Pantera designer Tom Tjaarda, have tried to purchase the DeTomaso name, but unfortunately, they are trying to sell it for an incredible amount of money, when all there is to buy is the name. Until Santiago DeTomaso wakes up and realizes the asking price is ludicrous (it's in the millions), we'll never see a modern day Pantera, which is sad.
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