De Tomaso returns ... and how!
The Goodwood Festival of Speed 2019celebrated the 60th anniversary of the De Tomaso brand name and, as a surprise to many, saw the premiere of the P72.
As with the sports cars from the 1960s, organic curves are once again used here, which seem almost exotic in this day and age. The study is reminiscent of the Ferrari P4 or the Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale, cars that people still dream of today.
In addition, there is the announcement of a manual gearbox, with sequential shifting also available as an option.
Because the P72 uses the technical basis of the Apollo super sports car, the 6.3-liter V12 is also used here. The naturally aspirated engine produces around 780 hp and accelerates the Apollo, which weighs just 1,250 kilos, to 100 km/h in 2.7 seconds. The company plans to produce just 72 examples of the De Tomaso at a unit price of 750,000 euros. The P72 is designed in accordance with the FIA LMP hypercar regulations, which will allow it to compete in Le Mans from 2021.
After decades of failure, Italian sports car specialist De Tomaso was dissolved in 2014 due to insolvency.
But the name has lost none of its resonance; after all, its most successful model, the Pantera, is still unforgotten today. Now cars are to be produced under the name again. The Chinese company ITV (Ideal Team Venture) had already bought the rights to the De Tomaso name before the company was dissolved. Now the Chinese are relaunching the traditional Italian brand.
The brand was founded in 1959 by the Argentinian racing driver of the same name, Alejandro de Tomaso.
The first road car produced in Modena was the Vallelunga presented in 1963, followed by the Mangusta designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro in 1966 . This proved popular and around 400 units were sold.
In 2003, the sleek sports car once again attracted attention in Quentin Tarantino's film "Kill Bill", where Bill (David Carradine) drove a De Tomaso Mangusta.
With the Pantera , De Tomaso finally became an established sports car manufacturer from 1971. The successful model sold over 7000 units, while all other models failed to achieve sales figures in the two or three-digit range.
But then it was all downhill. The Guarà from 1993 failed to win over fans and fewer than 40 examples were produced. In 2009, the Italian company IAI (Innovation in Auto Industry) bought the rights to the "De Tomaso" name, followed by insolvency in 2011 and the managing director was arrested in 2012 on suspicion of embezzlement.
Not a glorious end to a once proud sports car brand. All the more reason to hope that this beautiful concept car will breathe new life into a famous name.
