American muscle car known as one of the coolest ever was actually Italian
- The De Tomaso Pantera is the coolest American muscle car
- Surprise – it has Italian roots
- It was designed to compete with Ferrari and Corvette in the 1970s
Published on Apr 07, 2025 at 5:45 AM (UTC+4)
by Amelia Jean Hershman-Jones
Last updated on Apr 04, 2025 at 3:02 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Amelia Jean Hershman-Jones
The De Tomaso Pantera is arguably the coolest American muscle car, but it actually has Italian roots.
It was designed to compete with Ferrari and Corvette on both sides of the Atlantic in the 1970s.
Powered by a Ford 351 Cleveland V8 engine, the Pantera produced 330HP and could reach 0-60MPH in a mere 5.5 seconds.
It’s the best of both worlds, with a perfect fusion of American muscle and Italian style.
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The De Tomaso Pantera
Part of a collaboration between Italian automaker De Tomaso and Ford, led by Vice President Lee Iacocca, it was designed by Tom Tjaarda and built by Ghia, with engineering handled by Giampaolo Dallara.
Its Italian design made it look like a prancing-horse model.
Meanwhile, the Ford V8 engine gave it the power and sound of an American muscle car.
The history of the Italian-American muscle car
The Pantera was sold at an affordable price, coming in at under $10,000.
That was half the cost of comparable Ferraris and Lamborghinis at the time.
Despite its appeal, the car suffered several engineering issues, including overheating and structural weaknesses.
Lincoln-Mercury dealers struggled to support the Pantera, contributing to its poor reputation and limiting its potential success.
The car also had to be modified in 1973 to meet safety and emissions regulations, reducing its performance.
This contributed to Ford losing interest in the Pantera in 1974 after selling over 7,000 units, ending its partnership with De Tomaso.
However, undeterred, De Tomaso continued building the Pantera in limited numbers until 1992, with the car remaining more affordable than other exotic supercars.
Today, the Pantera is now a cult classic, with famous owners like Elvis Presley and appearances in films, making it a cherished part of automotive history.
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London-based Amelia cut her journalistic teeth covering all things lifestyle, wellness, and luxury in the UK capital. Fast-forward a decade and the senior content writer and editor has put pen to paper for glossy magazines, busy newsrooms, and coveted brands. When her OOO is on from writing about cars and heading up on-site SEO you can find her spending quality time with her young family, in the gym, or exploring the city she loves.
