Is this the new De Tomaso Pantera?
We have what appears to be a spy video of the new De Tomaso Pantera leaving the old Pininfarina factory in .Grugliasco
Former Fiat man Gian Mario Rossignolo rescued the De Tomaso brand from the ignominy of bankruptcy in 2009, with plans to bring the world a range of 21st century De Tomasos. An idea, we have to confess, for which we had a big soft spot.
Unfortunately, our hopes for something dashing and Italian in style but underpinned by big, lazy American power was shot down in flames when De Tomaso took the new De Tomaso Deuville to this year’s Geneva show, and it was a thumping great crossover.
Not just a crossover that looks like a slightly lower-riding SUV, but a very ugly one. Not that ugly necessarily means no good – think of the brilliant but less than beautiful Porsche Cayenne – but wanting to charge getting on for £100k for an uglier, slower and less well made cross between a Cayenne and a 5 Series GT seems a bit hopeful.
So we were less than overwhelmed with the start De Tomaso made with the new Deauville, but there’s still the arrival of the halo car of the De Tomas range to anticipate – the New De Tomas Pantera – which we’re hoping will come closer to recreating the drama and joy of the original Tomato than the new Deauville has.
As a firts look at the new Pantera we have a spy video of what appears to be the new De Tomaso Pantera leaving the old Pininfarina factory in Grugliasco, which De Tomaso now rent. It could be a case of putting 2 and 2 together and making 5, but it seems reasonable that what we see is the new Pantera.
How does it look? To our eyes a bit disappointing. No drama and no presence. But this could be heavily disguised and carrying a raft of disguise – although it appears not.
Still, we live in hope the De Tomaso Pantera will eventually manage to thrill.
Have your say - leave a comment