Pantera: The Forgotten Species

When Kia Forte’s start looking attractive, when Hyundai is putting out more interesting and engaging cars than Honda, I know we have entered an automobile era of unforeseen transformation. Thank God the “pony wars” still exist; I am able to go to my local Ford dealer, rev up a fire breathing Boss Mustang and chase down the likes of Chevy Camaros and Dodge Challengers. However, none of these cars in this decade are worth much talking about, not yet anyway. I am more interested in the “where are they now, where did they go and most of all, remember when?”

My first taste of a car show was in 1987, I was 8 years old. One of my Uncle’s close friends was restoring a 57 Chevy. David’s car was rough on the outside, primer grey in some places, sanded metal in others, but he was proud of it. He took me with him to show it off and so began my own love affair. At 8 years old it was all paint, chrome and shapes. I had no idea what I really liked or why. Walking up and down the temporary grass isles I remember being jolted by a loud un-muffled rumble. When I turned around to see what produced this sound it looked to me like a space ship on the ground. The name Pantera would be memorable for me.

Alejandro De Tomaso was born July 10, 1928 in Argentina to a wealthy Italian family. Even though De Tomaso’s family were cattle barons, this Italian man was called to a different heritage, one like a handful of Italy’s other famous automobile dreamers. Alejandro wanted to race cars at all costs, even if that meant he had to borrow friends vehicles. Like any true visionary, the lack of immediate resources would not squelch his passion to produce something original. In similar fashion to the American legend Carroll Shelby, Alejandro would build his own bodies, but he relied on American power to make his vehicle scoot.

His first road going car the Mungusta was realized in 1967, powered by a mid-mounted Ford HiPo 289 V8. With 306 horse power and around 2600 lbs of sprung weight, it was a mover. However, based on reports gathered, the car had stability issues and the cabin wasn’t well designed with the engine so close. Some 401 cars were produced and only about 200 are said to have survived.







