Although limited-run special editions and paint-to-sample highly bespoke order sheets for supercars are relatively recent trends, there are still a handful of whacky custom-ordered classic supercars that occasionally resurface on the collector car market. While it seems most Countaches and Testarossas were bought on-spec from dealers, there's the occasional personalized outlier—such as a white Countach with legit gold-plated accents—that makes its bog-standard siblings appear so … ordinary.
Custom-ordered De Tomaso Panteras? Not so much. Though the Italian-American hybrid supercar was ordered in relatively great numbers for the era, with around 7,260 produced, we can't recall ever seeing a factory special Pantera—until now. At French auction house Artcurial's recent Parisienne sale, a strikingly personalized 1975 De Tomaso Pantera failed to sell but won our hearts with its swoopy bodywork and period-perfect white-over-white accents.
According to Artcurial, a Greek entrepreneur, talent promoter, and personal friend of Alejandro de Tomaso ordered this Pantera new in 1975 with a long dossier of special requests. "No Pantera script on the side, vehicle as low as possible, dashboard in white leather, the area below the small gauges on the dashboard shall also be in white leather as well as the inside door covers," the official request reads. "A 'T' shall be fitted in the middle of the radiator. EE plates requested, no rear bumper, and free-flow exhaust system."
What is not mentioned in the original order is this Pantera's wild bodywork, initially wearing Group 4-style fender flares that somewhere along the line were swapped for the current box flairs. It is believed somewhere in the late 1970s, the car's Ford-sourced 5.7-liter V-8 was bored out to 7.0 liters. This odd Pantera is presented today in its original configuration, restored at some point after it was purchased from Italian police impound. Apparently, strange dealings with the car's registration and number plates led to its confiscation from Mantas in 1985—he never collected it from the impound.
Though Artcurial raked in almost $22 million in total sales from the Parisienne sale, this Pantera is one of a few lots that failed to sell. If you're interested, we're sure Artcurial would be tickled pink if you dropped it a line with your bank information.
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February 09, 2021 at 07:20AM
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This Custom-Ordered De Tomaso Pantera Is Peak ’70s Flamboyance - Motor Trend
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