It’s your ticket to an affordable classic Italian sports car with Ford V8 power.
It’s not every day that you get to see a De Tomaso Pantera, let alone a yellow low-mileage example from 1974, but one has just come up at the Mecum Auctions. While there were 7,260 units of the Pantera made, only 225 came in the rare yellow color.
While not as rare as the 1-of-10 De Tomaso Guara, this example still makes a case for itself thanks to its condition and all its original parts available.
On the outside, the De Tomaso Pantera carries a wedge-shaped design akin to the Ferraris and Lamborghinis of the time, with its matching rear mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive configuration.
The unit is a prime example of a well-preserved unit, looking like it just came out of the factory. With only 5,241 miles on the clock, the owner of this Pantera has certainly taken care of this Italian beauty and driven it rarely.
Just like the exterior, the cabin of the Italian sports car remains well preserved, retaining all of its original parts. It has a predominantly black interior boasting leather bucket seats, power windows, and air conditioning. It’s a sleek cabin, but it isn’t as menacing as the one found in Pantera GTS from the Fast and Furious movies.
Under the hood, the Pantera has a 351 cubic inch Cleveland V8 motor from a Ford Mustang that produced around 330 horsepower when it was new, mated to a five-speed manual transmission. Stopping power for the vehicle comes from Wilwood disc brakes on all four corners.
Aside from the unit being a low-mileage vehicle, it also has the bonus of having its original owner’s manual and original period literature and documents.
It’s a fine example of a preserved unit that has been barely used since its sale in 1974. It’s also a great alternative for an Italian sports car apart from a Lamborghini or Ferrari. If you don’t have the patience to wait for the production version of the gorgeous modern-day De Tomaso P72, this is your next best bet. It will hit the auction block at no reserve in Florida as part of Mecum’s Kissimmee 2024 auction, taking place from January 2-14, 2024.