1980–1987 De Tomaso Longchamp Spyder Specs & Performance

The Longchamp Spyder is one of the more unusual branches of De Tomaso’s grand-touring story. Instead of developing an open car entirely in-house, De Tomaso turned to Carrozzeria Pavesi in Milan, where Longchamp bodies were transformed into convertibles. The change gave the large 2+2 a completely different presence, replacing its formal coupe roof with an electrically operated soft top while retaining the underlying front-engine, rear-wheel-drive character.

For 1980–1987, the Spyder was powered by the familiar 5.8-liter Ford V8, producing 286 hp. Its appeal was less about outright aggression than the unusual combination of Italian coachbuilt styling, open-air touring and substantial V8 power. Production was exceptionally limited: the De Tomaso UK Drivers Club records only 16 convertibles among roughly 410 Longchamps, while other historical sources cite 14 factory Spyders. That scarcity makes the Spyder a fascinating footnote in De Tomaso history, particularly because some examples were later converted to the sportier GTS specification.