1971 DeTomaso Pantera Coupe

The De Tomaso Pantera (Italian for Panther) followed the company's Mangusta model. It had styling by Tom Tjaarda of Ghia and was built by De Tomaso in Modena, Italy and marketed by Lincoln-Mercury largely in the United States. Alejandro de Tomaso owned Ghia from 1967, then sold his interest to Ford Motor Company in 1970. Ghia then became Ford's top-line styling marquee. Final Pantera production tallied 7,260 vehicles spanning twenty-one years from its first showing in March of 1970.

Initially, it was priced at $9,800 and powered by Ford's 351 cubic-inch Cleveland V8 producing 330 horsepower. With a strong monocoque chassis of steel, this 2-place sports car beckoned to be driven and could race from zero-to-sixty mph in about 5.5 seconds with excellent stopping power from 4-wheel disc brakes and performance rated tires on Campagnolo aluminum wheels. Initial difficulties meeting US import regulations required modifications of the first several hundred by Holman-Moody in Charlotte, NC, but once released, Pantera became the feature of Lincoln-Mercury showrooms.

Further fit, finish, and corrosion problems followed, and Ford Motor Co. dropped the line in 1975 after about 5,500 were sold in the US. Initially with chrome plated bumpers, the later Pantera L of 1972 (L for luxury) was fitted with large black bumpers and a lower powered engine. That model was followed by the Pantera GTS of 1974 with additional luxury and performance features with a return to higher output.

This particular example had just 26,000 miles on the odometer.