Model Cars - De Tomaso

De Tomaso was an Italian manufacturer of luxury sports cars and racing cars, founded in 1959 by Argentine-born Italian entrepreneur Juan Manuel Fangio and Italian engineer Carlo De Tomaso. The brand is known for creating high-performance, stylish cars that often combined Italian design with American muscle.

Over the years, De Tomaso has created some iconic models that are now highly regarded in the world of exotic sports cars. Juan Manuel Fangio, the legendary Formula 1 driver who won five World Championships, was involved in the establishment of De Tomaso in Modena, Italy, in 1959.

Carlo De Tomaso, the engineer behind the company, had previously worked with Ferrari, Maserati, and Lancia before founding his own company. His goal was to produce high-performance cars that would combine the style and engineering of Italian sports cars with the power of American engines. The Pantera had a stylish, angular design with sleek body lines, contributing to its popularity. It was produced in large numbers compared to earlier De Tomaso models, especially in the United States.

De Tomaso formed a partnership with Ford, which helped in distributing the car in the U.S., where it was sold as the Ford Pantera. Despite being a highly capable car, the Pantera was not without its issues. It was sometimes criticized for its build quality and mechanical reliability, which led to a somewhat mixed reputation among enthusiasts. In the early 2000s, there were efforts to revive the De Tomaso brand. New models, such as the De Tomaso Pantera 2000 and the De Tomaso Guara, were introduced, but they struggled to regain the company’s former glory.