De Tomaso Pantera Push Button

Biarritz Sports and Classic Cars (BSCC) is pleased to present this De Tomaso Pantera "Push Button".

Passionate about motorsport, Argentine-born Alejandro De Tomaso founded his car manufacturing company in 1959 near Modena, Italy. His crowning achievement came with the Pantera, designed by Giugiaro (who also styled the Mangusta). Unveiled at the 1970 New York Auto Show, its main rival was the Chevrolet Corvette. Featuring a steel monocoque chassis and powered by a 5.8-liter Ford Cleveland V8 engine producing 310 hp, the Italian sports car could sprint from 0 to 100 km/h (0–62 mph) in just 5.8 seconds. Its greatest strength was its unbeatable price-to-performance ratio, and De Tomaso secured a major advantage by arranging for its distribution in the United States (its main market) through the Lincoln Mercury network. In its first year alone, 1,007 units were sold in the U.S.—an impressive number for the brand.

This Pantera is the 160th example built and was delivered new in France by the Franco-Britannique garage. It has had only four owners. The most recent, a Ferrari dealer, took meticulous care of the car and had it restored between 2010 and 2015.

The “Push Button” version is easily identified by its unique door handles, distinct from later Panteras. Only 382 of these early models were produced before the design was revised.

This De Tomaso will undergo a full service before the sale. A few details will be brought back to original specification, including the rear lights and the interior dome light button. Four brand-new tires will also be fitted.

Behind the wheel, three words immediately come to mind: raw, captivating, and loud. It's a wild beast to drive—but what a thrill to try and tame it.