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1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteThe De Tomaso Pantera became an icon by bringing together Italian styling and construction, a Ford V8, and an American sales network. It looked like an exotic mid-engined GT, but Ford hardware and Lincoln-Mercury’s U.S. dealerships gave it an unusual route to American buyers. That mix—not a single headline performance figure—made the Pantera stand out.
What made the Pantera different?
De Tomaso conceived the Pantera as a more production-oriented sports car than its earlier specialty models. It used a steel unibody instead of the backbone chassis found in earlier De Tomasos, and combined that structure with a Ford V8 and a production ZF transaxle. The result was an Italian-built, mid-engined GT that drew on familiar American mechanical hardware.
De Tomaso credits American designer Tom Tjaarda, working at Ghia, with the design and Gianpaolo Dallara with the engineering. The manufacturer’s account says the car made its North American debut at the New York Auto Show in March 1970, shortly after its Modena premiere; that is the company’s historical reporting. The Ford project designation was M.S.E., short for “Mid-Ship-Engine.” De Tomaso’s Pantera history
Was the Pantera a Ford or an Italian car?
It was a De Tomaso: an Italian carmaker’s model, designed at Ghia and built in Italy. Ford supplied the engine and had a major commercial role in the United States, but the Pantera was not a Ford-designed model. That distinction is central to its character: Italian design and assembly were paired with American power and distribution.
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#1 Best Overall
- Brand new box. Detailed exterior. Real rubber tires. True-to-scale detail. Officially licensed product. Does not have any openings. Comes in a plastic display showcase. Dimensions approximately L-2.5 inches long. Manufacturer's original unopened packaging. Made of diecast metal with some plastic parts.
- Scale name: 1:64 Scale
How the Ford V8 and ZF transaxle shaped the car
The Pantera paired a Ford 351-cubic-inch Cleveland V8 with a ZF five-speed transaxle driving the rear wheels. Pantera International identifies the transmission as the ZF 5DS-25, a synchronized five-speed unit with a limited-slip differential. Placing the engine behind the passenger compartment gave the car its mid-engine layout, while production-sourced components connected its exotic configuration to established hardware. Pantera International’s model history
There is no single horsepower figure established here that applies to every Pantera year and market. A specification should be tied to a particular version rather than treated as a universal rating for the model.
Rank #2
- De Tomaso Pantera No.14 1:32 scale analog slot car compatible with Carrera Evolution tracks
- Carrera Part No. 20027672
- Powered by an inline E200 motor and fitted with replaceable double contact brushes for maximum contact with the slot car track. Downforce magnets underneath make for quick cornering and great handling.
- High-quality tampo-printing over detailed molds designed to faithfully replicate the original car
- Car can be upgradaded to digital with installation of digital chip(sold separately)
Why Lincoln-Mercury mattered to the Pantera’s U.S. story
Ford’s contribution extended beyond the V8. Lincoln-Mercury handled Pantera sales and service in the United States, while De Tomaso retained sales in other world markets. This gave an Italian specialty car access to an American dealer network—a meaningful difference from relying only on specialist importers.
De Tomaso’s official history reports that Lincoln-Mercury said 6,091 Panteras had been brought into the United States. That figure is a reported U.S.-import total, not a global production count. The Henry Ford’s archival finding aid separately describes assembly records for approximately 1,500 cars built in 1973–74; that number applies only to the records and years covered, not the model’s total production. The Henry Ford archival finding aid
Rank #3
- De Tomaso Pantera No.32 1:32 scale analog slot car compatible with Carrera Evolution tracks
- Carrera Part No. 20027671
- Powered by an inline E200 motor and fitted with replaceable double contact brushes for maximum contact with the slot car track. Downforce magnets underneath make for quick cornering and great handling.
- High-quality tampo-printing over detailed molds designed to faithfully replicate the original car
- Car can be upgradaded to digital with installation of digital chip(sold separately)
The production challenges behind the partnership
Broader distribution did not eliminate the difficulties of refining a low-volume car for a larger market. Pantera International reports that early U.S. cars needed work on issues including HVAC performance and rear-subframe weld cracking. It also reports that Ford organized rework and a voluntary recall involving the first 94 cars already sold. These details come from the enthusiast-history account; they are not independently confirmed here by a Ford or regulator record. Pantera International’s model history
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why Ford stopped selling the Pantera
The U.S. distribution relationship ended in 1974. De Tomaso attributes the separation to Ford losing interest amid the oil and gas crisis and U.S. emissions requirements. The Henry Ford’s archival finding aid also describes Lincoln-Mercury as distributing the car through 1974, placing the end of the American dealer relationship within a documented archival record scope. De Tomaso’s Pantera history The Henry Ford archival finding aid
Rank #4
- Japan Import.
- Assembly, painting is required plastic model. Separately, necessary tools, paint and the like.
- Appeared in 1973, high-performance models of Pantera.
- Paint design is changed, stand out flashy impression than Panthera from the body of the West line under has become the paint of black, up to now.
- The nominal maximum speed 290km / h.
How its reputation outlasted the sales partnership
The Pantera’s lasting appeal comes from the contrast at its core: a dramatic Italian shape and mid-engine layout, a Ford V8, and a sales channel familiar to American buyers. Audrain Auto Museum describes the design as bringing supercar looks to a new market. That is the museum’s interpretation of the car’s appeal, rather than a measurable performance claim. Audrain Auto Museum
A 2026 Ford retrospective gives an original selling price of around $10,000 and says more than 1,100 units were sold. Those are figures from Ford’s secondary historical summary, not a complete lifetime sales total. Ford’s heritage retrospective
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