Autoblog

De Tomaso files for bankruptcy

Jonathon Ramsey — Mon, 09 Jul 2012 09:01:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, Crossover, Earnings/Financials, Design/Style, Luxury, MISC

Another small automaker is heading to bankruptcy court in less than a week with the report that De Tomaso has run out of cash and credit. When Artega filed for bankruptcy last week, we felt a bit of a twinge since the German firm has a cool little sports car that just never really got going. And although we're not happy about De Tomaso name plowing into that financial brick wall again, perhaps this time terminally, if it means the end of the ungainliness that was the Deauville resurrection seen above, then we'll accept it.

At the end of 2011, it was reported that Gian Mario Rossignolo, the former Fiat executive who took over De Tomaso, had sold the rights to build the Deauville to a Chinese concern and that he had raised millions of euros to build a new Pantera sports car. We don't know how much of that report didn't come true, but Rossignolo's aims couldn't get over the hurdles of too many words, not enough funds, and one regrettable crossover. If any company does buy what's left of the De Tomaso name, it should take this as lesson number one for its new model business plan: start with the Pantera.

De Tomaso files for bankruptcy originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 09 Jul 2012 09:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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De Tomaso sells Deauville production rights to China

Noah Joseph — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 07:59:00 EST

Filed under: Performance, China, Europe, Crossover, Earnings/Financials, Luxury, MISC

We all got a little excited when news emerged that De Tomaso was being reborn. After all, what could it hurt to have another storied Italian exotic automaker in the world, right? But then came the Deauville.

Though the Pininfarina-penned shape wasn't exactly hate-worthy, the emergence of a crossover to revive the De Tomaso marque was rather disappointing. The architect of the company's revival, veteran auto exec Gian Mario Rossignolo, promised more exciting products to come, but nearly a year later we've yet to see anything more.

This latest development could come as good news, then, even if it seems bad at first. Rossignolo has reportedly sold the rights to the Deauville's production to a Chinese company. Considering that it has, for the time being, been the only product De Tomaso has shown, that would seem to mean the entire house of cards has come crashing down. But, looking at it another way, Rossignolo and company have just managed to raise some 12 million euros (over $15 million) to (hopefully) finance the production of the Pantera, all the while offloading the burden of the lackluster Deauville at the same time.

De Tomaso sells Deauville production rights to China originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 30 Dec 2011 07:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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De Tomaso to unveil new Pantera at Frankfurt

Noah Joseph — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 10:31:00 EST

Filed under: Frankfurt Motor Show, Coupe, Performance, MISC

Let us tell you how this works, De Tomaso: First you give us the supercar, then you dilute the brand with crossovers and city cars and such. Got it? Just ask Porsche or Aston Martin. Oh never mind - we'll just take the sportscar now.

Half a year after reviving the brand, inexplicably, with the Deauville concept, rumor has it that De Tomaso is getting ready to unveil a Pantera successor at September's upcoming Frankfurt Motor Show.

The new supercar - which revives the nameplate of the 70s classic pictured above - is said to weigh less than 1,200 kilograms (2,645 pounds), which, coupled to a 600-horsepower Chevrolet Corvette V8, ought to dial-in some blistering performance.

The spy video we brought you a couple of months ago certainly looked - and sounded - promising, but we'll have to wait until September to see how the finished product turns out.

De Tomaso to unveil new Pantera at Frankfurt originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 12 Jul 2011 10:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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eBay Find of the Day: 1974 De Tomaso Pantera - with 135 miles

Zach Bowman — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 13:59:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Coupe, Performance, Auctions

1974 De Tomaso Pantera L - Click above for image gallery

It's hard to imagine the automotive landscape without the wonder that is eBay Motors. Yes, we would probably be a little more productive without the ever-present temptation of thousands of rare and unique listings leading our web browsers astray, but we'd also never hear about cars like the 1974 De Tomaso Pantera L you see above. While any car with a 351 Cleveland V8 mounted amidships is usually enough to get our blood pumping, this particular example is something truly special. Why? It has a mere 135 miles on the clock.

Now, usually, a car that's traveled less than four miles a year since it was built would have all sorts of issues to contend with, but the seller claims to have taken care of most of those. The wheel bearings have all been broken down and repacked with new grease, the brake lines have been replaced, the carburetor has been rebuilt and the oil-pan gasket has been swapped for a new piece, and a slew of other services have been performed. There's no word on whether or not the fuel tank was dropped and cleaned, though.

Sound good? The 'Buy It Now' price is a lofty $139,500, and the car is located in Scotts Valley, California. We're not entirely sure we'd personally pony up that kind of cash (if we had it), but it's likely the best original Pantera that will ever be seen again. Check the auction here.

Gallery: 1974 DeTomaso Pantera L

[Source: eBay Motors]

eBay Find of the Day: 1974 De Tomaso Pantera - with 135 miles originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 07 Jun 2010 13:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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REPORT: Rossignolo buys De Tomaso, new models headed for Geneva in 2011

Jonny Lieberman — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 09:26:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Performance, Europe, Luxury

Panthera Rendering - Click above for high-res image gallery

We're working off a machine-translated web page, so bear with us, but it looks like legendary Seventies marque De Tomaso is being resurrected once again. This time by a wealthy Italian industrialist named Gian Mario Rossingnolo. Looks like Signor Rossingnolo has already purchased a Pininfarina factory in which to build the new De Tomaso, and tried (unsuccessfully) to rescue Bertone earlier this year.

The big question is what are they going to build. Well, the ambitious-sounding-to-our-ears plan is to build 8,000 aluminum-bodied cars per year. And they are to be prestige cars, to better take advantage of the De Tomaso brand. As for specifics, Rossingnolo is planning on a luxury sedan, a coupe and an SUV. The cars should make an appearance at the Geneva Motor Show the year after next. Here's hoping one named Pantera shows up with Ford's supercharged 5.4-liter V8 mounted behind the driver.

Gallery: Panthera rendering

[Source: Argentina Auto Blog]

REPORT: Rossignolo buys De Tomaso, new models headed for Geneva in 2011 originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 17 Nov 2009 09:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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De Tomaso Pantera revival could be based on the Gallardo

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 12:59:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, Supercars, Audi, Ford, Lamborghini

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.

Gallery: Panthera rendering

Gallery: DeTomaso Pantera at SEMA 2007

[Source: World Car Fans]

De Tomaso Pantera revival could be based on the Gallardo originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 31 Mar 2008 12:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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