The sleek Pantera is being hailed as one of the most impressive marque of its type and price class ever to be offered in America. While recognizably of exotic Italian design, the car is actually the unique achievement of two continents. Alejandro de Tomaso of Modena conceived it, from cockpit lavout and monocoque chassis to four-wheel independent suspension and midship engine placement. Ghia of Turin did the coachwork and Cam-pagnolo cast the magnesium wheels. Ford of America designed the 351 CID 4V V-8 engine. Truly an international creation, painstakingly produced in limited quantity and imported for a select number of American connoisseurs.
Engine V8
Capacity (cc)
Transmission (sp)
Engine Ford "Cleveland" 351 cubic inch V-8 (5750 cc.): bore 4.0 x 3.5 inches (101.6 x 89.0 mm. ). 8.5 to 1 comp. ratio; 4-barrel carb.
Brakes Internally vented power issisted dise brakes at all fou wheels. Girling calipers, operated by dual master cylinders with separate front and rear hydraulic circuits.
Transmission 5-speed: all-indirect transmission gear is helical. for quiet running; baulk-ring syn-chronizers. 1st - 2.42:1, 2nd - 1.47:1, 3rd - 1.09.1, 4th - 0.846:1, 5th - 0.705:1, Rev. - 2.865:1. Axle Ratio - 4.20:1 (self-locking differential).
Front Suspension Independent with fabricated steel wish-bones: long-travel coil springs mounted concentrically with tubular shock absorbers.
Rear Suspension Independent with long-travel coil springs mounted concentrically with tubular shock absorbers.
Steering Rack and pinion.
Clutch 11-inch single dry plate clutch.
Wheels Cast magnesium, 15 x 7 inches, front, 15 x 8 inches, rear.
Dimensions Wheelbase - 98.4", Track front - 57", Track rear - 57.5", Overall length - 167", Overall width - 71.3", Overall height - 44.0".
The brilliancy of Italian coachwork is known and recognized the world over. Among the great Italian coachbuilders, Ghia Studios of Turin stands unsurpassed. In all its 50 years Ghia has never displayed more superb styling or meticulous detailing than in the de Tomaso Pantera. Here is feline grace captured in tautly smooth steel, an exciting marriage of form and function, with body and frame welded as a single structure to make this a singularly light yet most rigid car of high performance.
Pantera's soundproofed and air-conditioned cockpit is elegantly appointed and richly designed. The emphasis is on luxurious comfort, an avoidance of the Spartan austerity usually associated with sports car interiors. Space-age technology is reflected in the instrument layout and the central command console, angled to provide optimum visibility for the driver and easy access to the bank of rocker-type switches. The steering wheel and dash pad, of course, are handsomely padded. Uncompromisig care is evident in every detall of the interior, from the body-contoured bucket seats to the curved glass of the side windows.
Pantera is Italian for panther. Under Pantera's sleek skin is a high-performance automobile as you might expect. The midship engine is placed to provide well-balanced weight distribution and excellent road-holding. The magnesium wheels were especially created for the Pantera. Each wheel is independently suspended and provided with its own power-assisted disc brake, internally vented for cooling, giving Pantera superb braking ability. The 351 CID 4V Ford V-8 delivers its power to the rear wheels through a five-speed gearbox, fully synchronized in all forward gears.
