1973 DeTomaso Montella Concept Coupe

This car is a concept car but very similar to the Pantera. It is a fully functional prototype outfitted with a 5.7-liter V8 engine and a five-speed ZF gearbox.

The Pantera had just been introduced and was met with much excitement and praise. The venture between DeTomaso and Ford was prospering and seemed as though it would be a long and blissful union. It was blissful but short-lived. When new government regulations, and highway safety and emissions act was introduced, it forced Ford to cancel the Pantera in 1974. In an effort to survive, DeTomaso conceived a replacement for their Pantera.

The Pantera II 197x, or 7x, was built atop the chassis of the Pantera and featured new styling and a cantilevered roofline with open pillars to the rear. The styling was performed by Ghia designers.

The Pantera II 7x production car never entered production. A prototype car had been created; it was penned by Ghia designer Tom Tjaarda and hand-built by Ghia in Italy in 1973. It served as a show car during the spring of 1974 until the venture with Ford came to an end near the close of the year.

A year later, in 1975, the car was transformed under the supervision of Ghia design studio president, Don DeLaRossa. It was given a Pearl White over Metallic Bronze paint scheme and all of its Pantera nameplates were removed and fitted with new ones, the DeTomaso Montella. After this transformation, it was sent state-side to Michigan where it was titled and driven to various other manufacturers in hopes of sparking interest.

After five years, the car was sold to a Michigan sports car dealer in 1981. It was quickly sold to a family member of the current owner. In 2007 it was brought to the Monterey Sports & Classic Car Auction presented by RM Auctions, where it had an estimated value of $90,000 - $120,000. The vehicle carried no reserve, which proved to be unnecessary as bidding reached $99,000 including buyers premium. The lot was sold.

By Daniel Vaughan | Dec 2007