1974 DeTomaso Pantera II Coupe

He once plotted to overthrow Juan Peron! He was an Argentinian who became a successful Italian industrialist. He was an ex-patriot, and an F1 driver. His name was Alejandro De Tomaso. Alejandro founded DeTomaso Automobili in 1959 in to build prototypes and race cars but in 1963 switched to sports cars. When Henry Ford II's efforts to buy Ferrari failed he teamed up with DeTomaso to create the Pantera.

Penned by Ghia, the Pantera boasted breathtaking sheet metal. It was powered by Ford's well-regarded 351 Cleveland V8 and rated at 310 horsepower, though dyno runs later showed it closer to 380. The high torque Cleveland and manual 5-speed ZF - the same transmission found in the Ford GT40 - made for relatively civilized city driving. Yet, it could still do 0-60 in 5.5 seconds. A fully independent suspension, including four-wheel power disc brakes, underpinned a unibody platform.

An enthusiasts well know, speed and elegance have always had a price, in this case a princely $10,000. It was sold through Ford's upscale Lincoln-Mercury division. Just over 6,000 were built during the Ford-De Tomaso partnership.

This car is an 'L' model for 'lusso', or luxury. It has only 7,500 miles and has been so lovingly cared for that when poor health forced one owner to stop driving, he parked it inside his house and continued providing regular maintenance. Most dealers couldn't sell green Panteras and subsequently repainted them yellow or red. Notably, this car still has the original green paint.