De Tomaso

Pantera Pre-L

De Tomaso was an Italian manufacturer of race cars and sports cars. The company, founded by Alejandro de Tomaso, who was born in Argentina, was based in Modena.

Type of offer

Sales

Brand

De Tomaso

Model

Pantera Pre-L

Year of manufacture

1971

Price in CHF

148'000

Mileage

70000

Cylinder

Displacement

5763

Power

315

Transmission type

Manual transmission

At times, it had close ties to the Ford Group, which supplied the engines for nearly all of the brand’s production vehicles. De Tomaso models were powerful and luxurious, but because they were equipped with mass-produced American engines, they were not viewed as equal competitors to Maserati or Ferrari.[1] De Tomaso’s most successful model is the mid-engine sports car Pantera, which remained in production for over two decades and was produced more than 7,000 times; all other vehicles had production figures in the three-digit range.

Like so many of the approximately 7,200 De Tomaso Panteras ever built, this sports car was shipped to the U.S. and first registered there on October 2, 1971. Due to the American practice of changing model years—which always took place in September of the previous year—this sports car is a 1972 model. Its history across the Atlantic is unknown. In September 1989, the Pantera was imported from Florida to Switzerland and was likely driven here for some time with dealer plates. It was first registered by Swiss authorities in January 1996. At the end of 2002, the De Tomaso entered the private collection of a sports car mechanic near Bern, who sold it in 2014. The owner at that time had the headliner replaced and the interior refurbished at the end of the year. In early 2017, the sporty coupe was purchased by its most recent owner, who subsequently arranged for a partial restoration of the body, had a major service performed, and fitted the car with four new Michelin tires. Shortly thereafter, he noticed that the engine was not performing as expected and was overheating—so in June 2017, he had a high-performance radiator and two auxiliary fans installed.

In 2019, the air conditioning system was fitted with a new compressor and converted to the current R134a refrigerant. In early 2023, the owner decided to restructure his collection, which is why he wanted to part with the Pantera. Unfortunately, the Italian car sustained major engine damage during the planned transport, which required a complete overhaul by the specialists at Eggenberger Motorenbau AG. As part of this, a new Ford 351 engine block was completely rebuilt. A new crankshaft, new connecting rods, new forged pistons, and a new camshaft were installed. The cylinder heads were overhauled with new valves and new valve springs. Of course, all bearings, the oil pump, and the pushrods were also replaced with new parts. Since the overhaul, the car has covered just around 500 kilometers. The De Tomaso is now in very good mechanical condition; the body and interior are in good condition with slight signs of wear. The most recent vehicle inspection (MFK) as a classic car took place in May 2024, meaning the car is ready to hit the road immediately.