Tomas Linden, a Swedish car enthusiast, is absolutely obsessed with the De Tomaso Pantera.
A rare Italian supercar, the Pantera is nigh on impossible to find and when you do, it’ll cost you.hat’s your favorite car? For Swedish car enthusiast, Tomas Linden it’s the De Tomaso Pantera.
So, instead of forking out six figures on one (the average cost is $106,142), he decided to invest his time and build his own.
And, as other homebuilt supercars have shown, with one selling for six figures – the time spent might just pay off.
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The rare classic Italian-American mid-engined sports car isn’t a common sight on the streets of Sweden.
So, using the iconic classic De Tomaso Pantera as inspiration, he decided to build his own supercar.
While the lines certainly give the feel of the iconic, vintage supercar, fans of the De Tomaso Pantera will be able to spot the difference.
Firstly, it has a small intake on its roof that the original model is without.
The distinctive hidden headlamps have been replaced by clean-covered fixed lamps.
The boot lid is fitted with louvred panels that make the powertrain visible, rather than being flat.
Similarly, fitted beside the windows are mesh panels that allow a peek into the engine bay from the outside.
Another addition is an oval-shaped exhaust pipe emerging from under the tail.
Rather than building the entire supercar from scratch, he did borrow some parts from other cars.
The car enthusiast’s take on the De Tomaso Pantera is powered by a 32-valve Ford V8.
This is a tribute to the De Tomaso Pantera using a Blue Oval eight-cylinder engine.
The power system links to a four-speed manual gearbox from a Porsche 930.
Other parts used include components from a Yamaha R1 motorcycle for the inboard rear suspension.
The door frames and handles are taken from a Honda Civic.
Lastly, it was a 1998 Saab 9-5 that Linden took the windscreen from.
The exhaust was custom-made by Linden, himself.
The carbon-fiber side mirrors were also made using molds from a now discontinued Audi TT.
The car certainly looks like it’s well worth the time spent on it, with the V8 roar of a muscle car.
Linden’s YouTube video makes it look fun to drive, especially during acceleration.
However, Linden hasn’t actually told his followers the horsepower output of his homebuilt De Tomaso Pantera.
The inside is just as innovative.
Linden fitted iPads for the instrument cluster and rear-view camera.
Padded and supportive bolstered seats keep both drivers and passengers comfortable.
A three-spoke steering wheel and gated gearshift are cool touches that add to the driver experience.
With only five videos on his account, these eight-minute of footage has been watched over 3.2K times.
That’s almost as impressive as the car itself.
