The De Tomaso Pantera was a special car. Debuting in 1971, the original Pantera had a Ford Cleveland V-8 engine with around 330 horsepower out of the box. De Tomaso would go on to sell more than 7,000 examples of the Pantera in its 20-year production run before the company folded in the early 1990s.
But unless you’re a student of De Tomaso history, you’ve probably never heard of this one. It’s a rare Pantera 90 Si (yes, just like the Civic), and only 38 of them made it to production in the early 90s just before the brand went under.
Photo by: Jorge Guasso | RM Sotheby’s
The Pantera 90 Si was completely redesigned by Lamborghini legend Marcello Gandini. It featured a more modern Ford 5.0-liter V-8 with electronic fuel injection and 305 horsepower, a revised suspension with better handling, and bigger Brembo brakes for improved stopping power. Pantera hoped the 90 Si would help revive the faltering Pantera.
Sadly, though, the company only built 41 examples of the Pantera 90 Si before closing up shop. Two of those cars would be destroyed for crash testing purposes, and the rest were sold off to a handful of lucky customers—none of which were in the US.
This particular car, though, was imported to the US in 2020, more than two decades after its original delivery in Germany. It wears a gorgeous Giallo yellow paint with a Nero black interior, and it only has 11,659 original miles (or, 18,763 kilometers) on the odometer. It’s been recently renovated, and next week, it’s heading to auction at the RM Sotheby’s Miami sale.
Photo by: Jorge Guasso | RM Sotheby’s
When it was new, the De Tomaso Pantera 90 Si would have cost around $80,000 in the US. But given its rarity and recent renovation, RM Sotheby’s estimates that this car could go for anywhere from $150,000 to $200,000 when it crosses the block. Best of all, it’s being offered at no reserve.
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Jorge Guasso | RM Sotheby’s