De Tomaso is a storied name among sports car makers. Alejandro de Tomaso founded the company in 1959. The brand’s early history included mid-engine models such as the Vallelunga and Mangusta.
The Pantera was the brand’s most famous creation, and production of the various iterations ran from 1971 through 1992. For a time, they were directly available from Lincoln-Mercury dealers. The original recipe for the model was to put Ford’s 5.75-liter 351 Cleveland V8 behind the driver and hook it up to a five-speed manual gearbox. The result was a very potent sports car.
The New De Tomaso P72
De Tomaso has been working on a new supercar since it introduced the P72 prototype at the 2019 Goodwood Festival of Speed. The first production version is finally close to reaching the road. The company reports that the carbon-fiber body and chassis are now complete. The car is now in the final stages of preparation, and the next step is to paint it.
The P72 features a supercharged 5.0-liter V-8 that produces 750 horsepower and 664 pound-feet of torque. The only available gearbox is a six-speed manual. The prominent exhaust pipes exit vertically behind the rear wheels.
The P72’s retro-tinged design takes inspiration from the never-raced P70 competition car project from the 1960s. De Tomaso worked with automotive luminaries such as Carroll Shelby and Peter Brock on the vehicle, but they never completed the program.
A Classic Look
The modern car looks like an updated interpretation of a 1960s high-end sports coupe. It’s possible to imagine this shape racing against the original Ford GT or Alfa Romeo 33. The rear features massive fender openings for channeling fresh air to the mid-mounted powertrain. The entire structure is carbon, including the monocoque, subframes, and crash structures.
Inside, the new De Tomaso goes for a plush appearance. The cabin includes quilted leather, metal trim, and several analog gauges. The result looks both classic and modern.
De Tomaso plans to make just 72 units of the P72. Each of them starts at roughly the equivalent of $1.6 million. Production will take place in Germany, near the Nürburgring.
TopSpeed’s Take
The P72 is an interesting supercar because of its retro appearance. However, the supercar market is very crowded, so we look forward to seeing how this new De Tomaso performs.
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