De Tomaso

Year of foundation 1959-2012

The history of De Tomaso is that of a bold and somewhat crazy entrepreneurial adventure, driven by the dynamic personality of its founder, Alejandro de Tomaso.

The Origins (1959-1965)

The founder: Alejandro de Tomaso, an Italian-Argentine racing driver, founded his car company in Modena in 1959, in the heart of Italy's "Motor Valley."

Initial Ambitions: The initial goal was to produce racing cars and single-seaters for Formula Junior and Formula 1, but the results were modest. De Tomaso soon focused on high-performance road cars.

The First GT: The first production car was the De Tomaso Vallelunga (1964), a mid-engined coupé with a Ford engine. It was not a commercial success, but it laid the foundation for subsequent projects.

The Golden Era (late 1960s - 1970s)

The Mangusta: In collaboration with designer Giorgetto Giugiaro, the De Tomaso Mangusta was born in 1967. With its aggressive, sinuous lines and Ford V8 engine, it embodied the spirit of the Italian "supercar." Approximately 400 units were produced.

The Pantera: In 1971, the Mangusta was replaced by the Pantera, the brand's most famous and successful model. Designed by Tom Tjaarda, the Pantera combined breathtaking Italian design with the reliability and power of a Ford V8 engine, thanks in part to a distribution agreement with Ford. Its monocoque chassis was an innovation for its time. The Pantera remained in production for over 20 years, with several evolutions such as the GTS and GT5, and over 7,000 units were sold.

An expanding empire (1970s-1980s)

New acquisitions: Alejandro de Tomaso proved to be a multifaceted and ambitious entrepreneur. In the 1970s and 1980s, he acquired and managed prestigious brands such as Innocenti (which produced the popular Innocenti Mini De Tomaso), Maserati, Benelli, and Moto Guzzi, creating a true industrial group.

The decline and end (1990s-2003)

Health problems and crisis: Struck by a serious illness in 1993, Alejandro de Tomaso gradually withdrew from the business. The company attempted to restart with new projects, such as the Guarà, but the founder's death in 2003 marked the definitive end of production activities.

Relaunch Attempts: After its demise, the brand underwent several changes of ownership and several relaunch attempts, all of which were unsuccessful.

Brand Rebirth (2019 - Present)

New Ownership: The De Tomaso brand was acquired by a Hong Kong-based group, which in 2019 unveiled the De Tomaso P72, a supercar that pays homage to the historic 1965 P70. This limited-edition model marks a new chapter in the brand's history, keeping alive its connection to its tradition.