click on the pic above for a gallery of 11 shots
We've heard rumblings of a De Tomaso Pantera revival for the last year or so, and now reports are appearing that suggest that the new car, if it ever sees the light of day at all, may not be the same Ford-powered mid-engined supercar that we've come to know and love. We could deal with the idea that the name might have to be changed to Panthera instead of Pantera, but basing the once Ford-powered classic on Lamborghini architecture as our source suggests would surely price the vehicle far out of reach for most of us. The Lamborghini Gallardo and the Audi R8 share similar underpinnings already, and these new rumors suggest that the Pantera re-dux would be based on the same platform and also pilfer the German-Italian V10 engine, which makes us wonder if the market is willing to accept three similar super cars, all with similar running gear and similar performance. Still, if the new car were to look as amazing as the renderings seen in our gallery, we wouldn't kick it out of our dream-garage.
[Source: World Car Fans]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
indymcsc @ Mar 31st 2008 1:05PM
Why? Are there people out there who would really buy this over all the other choices?
Richard @ Mar 31st 2008 1:20PM
IMO, a Pantera revival needs to be Ford-OHV-engine-based and relatively low-tech.
Given that, Steve Saleen should be doing it.
John @ Mar 31st 2008 1:25PM
This needs the LS7.
Shawn @ Mar 31st 2008 1:33PM
Why use an LS7, that's neither Italian or from ford!
Shawn @ Mar 31st 2008 1:31PM
Hmmmm, a Ford GT based Pantera might be more interesting than another Audighini
RLQ @ Mar 31st 2008 5:20PM
I agree w/ you 100%
shiftright @ Mar 31st 2008 1:44PM
Beautiful, but is anyone capable of an original concept anymore? And do we need another hyper expensive supercar? How about one of the masses?
steve clark @ Mar 31st 2008 1:46PM
"I'm not dead yet!"
havoc @ Mar 31st 2008 1:47PM
droooooooooooooooooooooooooooooool...
i learned to drive MT on a Hall Pantera prepped beauty.
man i loved that car.
John @ Mar 31st 2008 2:18PM
It needs the LS7 because Ford doesn't make a good OHV V8 and the LS7 is a great engine.
Stuka @ Mar 31st 2008 3:24PM
Come again? Whats wrong with the 4.6/5.4 series engines? The old 90's 5.4 did have a spark plug issue, but that was resolved long ago. The engine is known for getting a lot of miles, and the 3v head design works well.
The LS7 while being a good engine, is also going the way of the dodo with CAFE standards the way they are. There is no reason to have a 7L V8 anymore. Not when you can get the same power from a much smaller engine.
havoc @ Mar 31st 2008 2:52PM
it may be evil since it's a windsor base and not a 351c but...
http://www.fordracingparts.com/parts/part_details.asp?PartKeyField=9290
that would prob be sufficient
Richard @ Mar 31st 2008 2:53PM
no Ford = no Pantera
The magic of the whole thing in the first place was that it was a dependable V8 - made in the plant in BrookPark - placed in something a wee bit sexier than the Mustang and the Town Car.
w/o the Ford engine it is - as mentioned above - just another Audighini.
Although, maybe they could use an engine from a true Lamborghini: http://www.livinghistoryfarm.org/farminginthe50s/machines_08.html
Stuka @ Mar 31st 2008 3:21PM
Gah, this car needs to be priced well. Another 150-200k dollar super car is not what is needed.
It should be based on a Ford GT style layout, with the Ford engine (The 5.4L is a good engine, and 550hp should be plenty for the price range). And try to get it into the 80-90k range. That should be plenty feasible, especially with the pricing of the Nissan GT-R being like it is, with the performance that it has.
mk @ Mar 31st 2008 4:45PM
What was so wrong about the original formula?
Italian coach-built body, with a Ford V8 and a porsche-like transaxle.
Ford has already done that with the GT... But I would pose this variance from the Ford GT...
5.0 liter cammer engine, naturally aspirated with eight throttle bodies, like a Weber setup, but injected. Also, a highly tuned, rather than supercharged, or Saleen S7's ford big-block as an option.
Turbocharging and Supercharging will happen in the aftermarket, but there is something about a well tuned voracious naturally aspirated OHC V8 that sounds like ripping silk when it revs.
That being said, it would probably overlap the S5 Raptor and S7 from Saleen at that point, sans the italian styling.
tuna @ Mar 31st 2008 4:55PM
PANTHERA?
No one else noticed?
Quan @ Mar 31st 2008 11:43PM
My thoughts exactly, why does it say Panthera?
Wildgoosechase73 @ Mar 31st 2008 5:06PM
Hmm, the Viper is being phased out, I'm sure that v10 is cheaper than the audigini unit, and I'll bet would be for sale. I'd just put a Hemi in it....
The Luigiian @ Apr 1st 2008 12:49AM
Man, this thing looks great. I wish they had the Mustang lookin' this sharp and svelte...
Torkair @ Apr 7th 2008 5:50AM
While a V10 would be optional, the power plant should remain ford based. The Triton V10 has the potential, especially the 3V version, either turbo charge it or give it purpose built performance parts and call it a day.