What a strange year. We’ve already witnessed the return of two Hispano-Suiza automobiles from two Hispano-Suiza companies when nobody would have expected even one of either. Now we get the news that the original De Tomaso Pantera could get two resurrections this year. Italian Coachbuilder Ares Design showed off its Panther, based on a Lamborghini Huracán, last week. During the Geneva Motor Show, the company that owns the De Tomaso brand loosed a camouflaged coupe around the Swiss city, the car’s windshield topped with a banner reading, “DTProjectP.”
Press days…outside the motor show ? #ApolloIE #GT1 #DTProjectP pic.twitter.com/zPPRXj4PPD
— Apollo-Automobil (@ApolloAutomobil) March 5, 2019
That company is Hong Kong’s Consolidated Ideal TeamVenture (CIT), which bought the rights to De Tomaso in 2015 for $1.1 million. One year later, the same firm bought sports car maker Gumpert, quickly turning the Gumpert Apollo gullwing racer into the Apollo brand. At the moment the company seems most occupied with the Apollo Intensa Emotion, the gullwing racer powered by a 6.3-liter V12 good for 780 horsepower. The Pantera makes for a very interesting side gig, assuming anything comes of it.
The Apollo IE tracked Geneva in front of the supposed reborn Pantera, both cars wearing the same camouflage wrap. CIT filed trademark applications for model names Pantera and Mangusta, and a European patent search in 2018 turned up designs for a toothsome Pantera with pop-up headlights.
In Geneva, however, Apollo general manager and CMO Ryan Berry wouldn’t be drawn on what’s in store. Seems like there must be something, though — there’d be no reason to parade around Geneva with a prototype something without cause. And this year marks the 60th anniversary of the De Tomaso brand, as ideal a birthday as any for the return of the cat.
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