1985 De Tomaso Pantera GT5

LMC is proud to offer for sale this 1985 DeTomaso Pantera GT5

The Pantera (Italian for "Panther") was a mid-engine sports car produced by DeTomaso of Modena, Italy from 1971 to 1991. The Pantera logo included a version of Argentina's flag with a T-shaped symbol that was the brand used by De Tomaso's Argentinian cattle ranching ancestors. The car was designed at the request of Ford’s Lee Iacocca for the North American market to replace the Shelby Cobra at specially selected Lincoln/Mercury dealerships. After the Ford agreement ended in 1974 De Tomaso continued to build the car in ever-escalating forms of performance and luxury for the rest of the world.

By 1985 the DeTomaso Pantera had evolved into the upscale GT5 and was one of the most iconic sports car in Europe. The Pantera uni-body combined captivating coachwork designed by Ghia and a mid-engine chassis designed by DeTomaso. The Pantera had the qualities of both an Italian sports car and a muscle car, it was beautiful and at the same time brutish. In the 80’s the wide body look was "IN" and car fanatics had become infatuated with exotic Italian sports cars/supercars with the likes of the Ferrari 308 or Testarossa and of course the Lamborghini Countach. The GT5 featured the same mechanical specification and coachwork as the GTS with the addition of fiberglass flares to the wheel arches, a deep frontal air dam, ground effects side skirts, the same 10 spoke magnesium wheels and those outrageously wide Pirelli tires. The plush GT5 interior is quite roomy and well laid out for a mid-engine car. A surprising amount of space for soft luggage is to be found in the tail behind the engine and under the nose around the inflatable mini-spare. The Pantera, powered by a Ford 351 cu in Cleveland engine produced a severely underrated 330 hp. Stock dynos over the years proved that power was more along the lines of about 380 HP. Pantera had Manual Rack and Pinion Steering and the power was transmitted to the rear wheels via the German ZF Five-Speed Manual Transaxle which is the same transaxle that had been utilized in Ford's Le Mans winning GT40 race car. A popular option offered with the GT5 was the large delta wing rear spoiler very similar to the spoiler found on the Countach. .

This ’85 DeTomaso Pantera GT5 is electrifying in Red with Black interior. The Pantera has never had trouble generating excitement with the wild looks and strong performance – for Pantera fans the GT5 was the fulfillment of their wildest dreams with the distinctive wide-body look and outlandish wing. The paint finish is deep and rich as it flows over the exotic lines of this supercar. Slipping inside the GT5 Black Leather body-hugging sports-car seats with the performance oriented seat belts you are just simply seduced by this car's bulges, steamroller tires and wonderful big-bore rumbling exhaust. The luxurious like new condition Black interior compartment has a burled wood dash. The Pantera came with an abundance of convenient features such as Power Locks, Power Windows, Power Dual Mirrors, Air Conditioning (unit has been removed but retained by last owner), Rear Window Defrost and Tach. This GT5 has a custom built kick ass 351 Cleveland Stroker 383.6 cu.in. V8. Through a gated ZF Five-Speed Manual Transaxle there is plenty of brute horsepower as the GT5 explodes off the line. The final link to the pavement is through mega-wide Pirelli Tires that are mounted on stunning Gold rims. The GT5 with its 43-57-percent front-rear weight bias has power-assisted four-wheel disc brakes to bring those enormous tires to a halt. And its ride, comfort and stability are impressive, considering that its wide tires can't leave many road irregularities untouched. In acceleration, cornering, and head-snapping ability, this GT5 can truly hold its own against the most exotic supercars. Rare for sure, based on VIN by the Pantera Owners Club of America registrar has shown that fewer than 252 GT5 Pantera were likely to have been built. Previous owners have retained the Owner’s Manual in the Glove Box and copies of the original Order, Release Form and some ownership documents.

This 1985 DeTomaso Pantera GT5 is a wonderful combination of the Italian exotic flare and American grunt. Some collectors or enthusiasts would suggest this flashy Red Pantera GT5 is no Lamborghini Countach however others state the one with the V8 is just as "bad" as the one with the V-12 on the value scale – and so the ongoing debate of these different stylish beasts of power. This is a great opportunity to get into an extremely rare low mileage 1985 DeTomaso Pantera GT5.