De Tomaso Pantera GTS ‘Narrow Body' – 1979
Marca : De Tomaso
Modello : Pantera
Anno : 1979
Telaio N. : THPNUD09137
Esemplari prodotti : 7.258
Designer : tom tjaarda
Carrozzeria : ghia
Progettista : gianpaolo dallara
Motore : 8 cilindri a V di 90°
Cilindrata : 5.763 cc
Distribuzione : OHV
Valvole Cilindro : 2
Alimentazione : 1 carb. quadricorpo Holley
Potenza : 330 CV a 5.400 giri/min
Top speed Km/h : 280
Styled by Tom Tjaarda at Carrozzeria Ghia, the stunning coupé body was in fact built by vignale, both companies being part of De Tomaso's empire in the early 1970s. De Tomaso's longstanding relationship with the Ford Motor Company led to an arrangement whereby the Pantera was distributed through select Lincoln-Mercury dealerships in the USA, where a lower compression, 248bhp Cleveland motor (meeting stricter emissions regulations) was introduced for 1972. The 1974 energy crisis led to a parting of the ways between Ford and De Tomaso, who continued to sell the Pantera in Europe. At around the same time Ford ceased production of the 351ci Cleveland V8, which led to De Tomaso sourcing their engines from Ford Australia who continued to make that engine until 1982. The Australian-made engines were available in a range of power outputs up to around 355bhp.
Exceptionally long-lived for a supercar, the Pantera was still around in the 1990s having undergone a series of upgrades. The first of these had appeared on the ‘L' model of 1972, which featured ‘impact resistant' bumpers and improved cooling and air conditioning systems. Flared wheelarches distinguished the GTS model of 1974, which in European trim came with a 355bhp engine, larger wheels/tyres, and other performance enhancements
This rare De Tomaso Pantera GTS was delivered new via Sedax, the De Tomaso importer for France. It has had only two registered owners and belonged to the same family from new until 2014. The car was ordered by Mr Pierre Maraval for the total sales price of 184,180 French Francs (original sales invoice on file) and with the following options: hot country specifications; central locking passenger side; Campagnolo wheels shod with Pirelli P7 tyres; and Group 3 sports seats. Mr Maraval also specified that the car should be delivered without the GTS model's characteristic wide wheelarches. It is believed that only very few cars were delivered like this. He kept the car in absolutely immaculate condition and had it serviced properly, unlike many Pantera owners.