New De Tomaso Pantera

Hello,

As many of you may have read from the automotive blog (jalopnik, autoblog, worldcarfans, etc.) this week, De Tomaso will be unveiling the revival of the Pantera at this fall's Los Angeles Auto Show. I was wondering what are your opinions on what would you like to see from this car?

Let me start. For me, I want this car to embody the KISS philosophy, as in Keep It Simple Stupid. A lot of the new supercars that have come out recently in the last 5 years are so have become unnecessarily complex and IMHO dilute the driving experience. With this in mind, this is what I would like to see in the upcoming Pantera:

1 - First and foremost, I would like to see a 3-pedal manual. I am so sick of being excited about a new supercar, and then just to be disappointed when I find out that it has a flappy-paddle gearbox. OK, I know people will argue that this is F1 technology, that it is much faster than any human could shift, and that this will give you faster times to 60 or on the track. However, I will trade all that for a more involved driving experience that only a stick shift can give.

2 - Like the original Pantera, I would like the car to have a Ford-based (maybe Roush-tuned??) V8. The benefit of this, other than high hp and torque, is that it will not require you to sell a kidney to maintain it!

3 - No fancy exotic materials, like carbon fiber. Why?? Although I love carbon fiber just like any other automotive enthusiast, it is just very expensive. To use this in this car would just drive the price way too high.

4 - KEEP THE PRICE DOWN!! I would like to see the top price at around $100K. This way, it would still be attainable for the regular bloke.

I would love to hear your opinions.

Cheers,
Andy

 

Could it still be sold at Lincoln dealers?

 

Given the hideous new car they presented in Geneve, I don't expect anything good from the new Pantera.

 

you got that right!. If it is another foreign Japanese flavor they can keep it

 

Sounds like you are describing the countach!!

 

You just described the over weight, under engineered headache of a Pantera that already exists. Enjoy.

 

Josh, Take a second look at those older Panteras, Many owners have fine tuned them, some with 600+HP reliable as hell, and a strong community out there. And should you be able to get your hands on the later wide body GT5S models, it has major handling improvements vs the early cars. Oh and yes cheaper than a 997 to buy and peanuts to maintain + 99% parts available in less than 24hrs.*Nothing out there like it's V8 midship in the affordable range.

 

To be fair though Denis, the C6 Corvette Z06 is a serious car and utilizes many modern materials and techniques to accomplish that. It's far more of a worthy sports car than any Vette built previously and considerably better built as well.

I think the Pantera (or Panthera) deserves the same attention. It should be an evolution not a continuation.

It should be built to compete with Z06's and the like.

I have a project Maserati BiTurbo (De Tomaso Era) as well as having got into a few Panteras and I can honestly say that it isn't a bad thing for them to "get modern".

 

Nothing against modern. I just find too many people have 'read' an article and claim knowledge of a car. I am no expert in Vettes or Porsches or Ferraris but know first hand of a few well updated DeT cars that perform amazingly well. As I stated, the later cars (and those with Johnny Woods or Pat Mical re-worked control arms) and Qa1 shocks cars drive like canyon carvers. The 351 is a tried and true motor and can be almost bullet proof if well built. Owners have dropped floors for taller drivers, better seats, upgraded window motors, GPS, modern rotary AC compressors, larger 17-18 in wide tires, Brembo brakes to modernise the cars. ABS, Traction assist, Stability control have only made the average guy a better driver.

 

WHAAAAAAT?? You have a PM.

 

Haha...we all have skeletons don't we? I thought if the car were completely redone (to function) it'd be a fun and attention getting PR machine.

 

I'm looking forward to this

 

Doesn't anyone have anything to say about the new supposed Pantera prototype "leaked" on Youtube??

 

Yes, anyone who has a well-running and fully-sorted Maserati BiTurbo these days has to be a "master mechanic of the highest order".
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This video?

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8TwuVMljl0[/ame]

 

See Pantera appreciation thread, post 45 forward.

http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=278282&page=3

 

There are so many mid engine exotics that were built in the last 10 years, most with 500-1000 HP , I agree keep it simple. Put a nice Ford power plant in a beautiful body and the owners will figure a way to increase the amount of HP they desire.

It's a Ford GT with Italian body. Just make sure to increase the gas tanks size and get some decent doors.

 

What I have heard so far is that there will be 500 cars produced, and that it will have in the region of 650hp.
Bob Forstner has been appointed as the dealer for the United Kingdom.
Apparently, they intend to start production at the end of November this year!

 

Hello, I wrote the official DE Tomaso book for the factory, but my opinion about theses new people is that "They don t like the collectors, they don t like the clubs, they don t like the heritage"

Santiago DE Tomaso and his father was real enthousiasm, the new owners are just "cars dealers" without any respect for the past. I deal with them, and I ve seen how badly they treat old customers and clubs.
When you don t respect the past, they are no reasons why previous owners want to continue to support the marque