The Festival of Speed in Goodwood, England, is always a good place for companies to reveal their newest super sports car. The De Tomaso P72 was presented to the public for the first time in 2019, a new super sports car with an old name. The former Italian sports car manufacturer achieved legendary status with a few models, especially with the Pantera in the 60s and 70s. And now Chinese investment has been used to revive the Italian brand on its 60th official anniversary. This isn’t the first time Chinese investment has been used to revive car brands that were all but lost.
De Tomaso was founded in Modena, Italy, in 1959 by racing driver and visionary Alejandro de Tomaso. After his death in 2003, the car company struggled for many years until finally the company filed for bankruptcy in 2014. However, before the insolvency, a Hong Kong-based company called ITV (Ideal Venture Team) was smart enough to buy the trademarks for the brand.
You might have heard the name ITV before as they were also responsible for realization of the Apollo IE sports car. Although the design of the modern De Tomaso is striving to build a link to the historic P70 by De Tomaso, similarities to the Apollo project are unmistakable. The two cars share the same Designer, Mr. Jowyn Wong from Wyn Design. I kind of love the idea that Mr. Wong is responsible for two of the most iconic car designs of the decade – I think there is no point in doubting that.
The roundish and timeless shape of the mid-engine sports car has a kind of erotic touch. The architecture of the interior is classy, yet modern. The P72 has a minimalist design approach with minimal tech intervention and complexity. It’s a kind of retrospection of the designs of the 60s and 70s (the peak years of De Tomaso). The high quality of the interior is not only reflected in the design but also in the materials used. A modern-day classic car might be the perfect description for the P72.
As you might have guessed by the name P72, the car is limited to only 72 units at the base price of EUR 750,000.
The engine is a five-litre V8 with supercharger overworked by US tuner Roush. It delivers a power output of 700 PS, over 825 Nm and maximum of 7,500 rpm. The car will be delivered only with a manual six-speed gearbox. Further details yet to be confirmed by the brand.
By the way: The P72 is designed according to the FIA LMP hypercar regulations which allow it to start at Le Mans from 2021. I am pretty excited to see if there will be a version of De Tomaso’s P72 on the Le Mans race circuit.
Great to see the Italian car manufacturer to be revived – no other car unveiling ever gave me such a pure feeling of nostalgia.
Summary
Brand:
De Tomaso
Model:
P72
Price:
EUR 750,000 base price + options / packages
Limitation:
72 units
When to drive:
Although it’s a classy car, it would perfectly fit into any classic car event due to its shape and design referring to the style of 60’s and 70’s.
What we love about the car:
There was no other car in the last 3 years that gave us such a feeling of nostalgia and which revives the charm that was once lost.
Images: Instagram account: @hudsonhorsepower
IMPORTANT NOTE: The car shown in the pictures is NOT the one we are offering for sale.
