1971–1972 De Tomaso Pantera Specs & Performance

The original Pantera was De Tomaso’s bold answer to the idea that an exotic sports car had to rely on an exotic engine. Designed by Tom Tjaarda at Ghia, it combined Italian styling and a sophisticated mid-engine layout with Ford’s 351 Cleveland V8, creating a distinctly Italian-American character. The result was a low, purposeful two-seat coupe with a five-speed ZF manual transmission and the kind of muscular soundtrack that set it apart from its European contemporaries.

For 1971–1972, the Pantera delivered 310 hp and 380 lb-ft of torque, giving it serious straight-line ability while its four-wheel disc brakes and independent suspension helped complete the performance package. It was also significant as the model that brought De Tomaso into Ford’s Lincoln-Mercury dealer network in the United States, making an Italian-built mid-engine exotic considerably more accessible to American buyers. That unusual combination of Ghia design, Ford power and De Tomaso engineering became the foundation for the Pantera’s remarkably long career.