De Tomaso Pantera three seater

[Anders Dinsen]

I came across a photo of a three seater Pantera prototype today:




Funny to see how this must have been copied from the Bagheera.

More photos here:
http://provamo.com/MysteryCars/Unknown5/Unknown5.asp
http://www.twc.dk/absolutig/gallery.asp?action=viewimage&categoryid=41&text=&imageid=514&box=&shownew=
http://www.twc.dk/absolutig/gallery.asp?action=viewimage&imageid=515&text=&categoryid=41&box=&shownew=

The last shows the V6 engine - not quite a Bagheera drive train, I'm afraid

- Anders

[Lennart Sorth]

The last shows the V6 engine - not quite a Bagheera drive train, I'm afraid

cool - never knew they did that. - maybe they should have called it the "Bantheera" :-)

I always liked the Pantera for the concept of looking like a supercar, but being made out of parts with a more humble origin - much in the same way as Matra's roadcars.  The Pantera has a bit more power and sound though.

/Lennart

[krede]

I like the design of the murena more .....though I WOULD like a v6 under the bonnet

[Anders Dinsen]

I like the design of the murena more .....though I WOULD like a v6 under the bonnet

They are very different, the Pantera and the Murena IMO, first there's a decade between them in the design, second the Pantera is far crazier in the design than the almost sensible Murena. Which of course shows that it's of another class, I'm afraid.

But apart from that, I agree. I'd never swap one for my Murena. On the other hand, I like crazy things and I wouldn't mind owning a Pantera - and blow away the kids and their fathers at the boy's schools with something *really* impressive!

- Anders

[Lennart Sorth]

I agree. I'd never swap one for my Murena.

Me neither, - but in the 70'ies I did dream about one day owning a Pantera - but then I saw the Bagheera ... and later the Murena. :-)

/Lennart

[Matra_Hans]

I was also dreaming of a Panthera years back, but then I looked at my bank account!

Hans

[Anders Dinsen]

I was also dreaming of a Panthera years back, but then I looked at my bank account!

I'm still looking... it doesn't help

[Anders Dinsen]

There could be a link between the Bagheera and the three seater De Tomaso. I have just learnt that Alejandro De Tomaso and Lee Iacocca were close friends (a friendship which resulted in the Chrysler TC . When Iacocca moved to Chrysler in 1978, he probably saw the Bagheera - and maybe he told De Tomaso about it. Working in Europe, De Tomaso must have known it already, but sometimes you need someone you trust to appreciate good ideas - perhaps this was Iacocca - and the prototype was made.

This can, of course, only be valid if the prototype was realised later than 1978. I have no idea

And obviously the prototype was not a success, or we would have seen the layout in production

- Anders