Whilst limited-run specific editions and paint-to-sample highly bespoke get sheets for supercars are fairly modern tendencies, there are even now a handful of whacky custom-purchased vintage supercars that at times resurface on the collector motor vehicle sector. Although it appears to be most Countaches and Testarossas have been acquired on-spec from sellers, you can find the occasional individualized outlier—such as a white Countach with legit gold-plated accents—that will make its bathroom-common siblings surface so … normal.
Custom-purchased De Tomaso Panteras? Not so a lot. While the Italian-American hybrid supercar was requested in fairly great figures for the era, with about 7,260 created, we cannot recall ever looking at a manufacturing unit special Pantera—until now. At French auction residence Artcurial’s latest Parisienne sale, a strikingly personalised 1975 De Tomaso Pantera failed to sell but gained our hearts with its swoopy bodywork and period-excellent white-above-white accents.
According to Artcurial, a Greek entrepreneur, talent promoter, and personalized mate of Alejandro de Tomaso requested this Pantera new in 1975 with a lengthy file of exclusive requests. “No Pantera script on the facet, car or truck as small as achievable, dashboard in white leather-based, the location underneath the small gauges on the dashboard shall also be in white leather as very well as the within doorway handles,” the formal ask for reads. “A ‘T’ shall be equipped in the center of the radiator. EE plates asked for, no rear bumper, and cost-free-circulation exhaust system.”
What is not described in the authentic purchase is this Pantera’s wild bodywork, at first carrying Group 4-fashion fender flares that somewhere together the line had been swapped for the recent box flairs. It is believed someplace in the late 1970s, the car’s Ford-sourced 5.7-liter V-8 was bored out to 7. liters. This odd Pantera is presented right now in its initial configuration, restored at some point after it was obtained from Italian law enforcement impound. Evidently, unusual dealings with the car’s registration and range plates led to its confiscation from Mantas in 1985—he never collected it from the impound.
Although Artcurial raked in pretty much $22 million in overall gross sales from the Parisienne sale, this Pantera is 1 of a few a lot that failed to offer. If you might be fascinated, we’re guaranteed Artcurial would be tickled pink if you dropped it a line with your financial institution facts.
