RideLust

When most people think of De Tomaso, they generally think of the iconic Pantera. The Pantera was one of those rare cars that blended Italian design with good ole’ American firepower. However before the Pantera hit the streets, De Tomaso had given the world and even edgier beast. It was called the Mangusta and if it doesn’t make you’re naughty bits tingle then there’s something seriously wrong with you. The Mangusta was originally powered by a mid-mounted 306 hp Ford 289 cubic inch V8 that was hidden under a pair of beautifully designed gull-wing doors. It also had a sloping hood line that ended in a set of quad mounted headlamps. The car was simply stunning and even today can hold its own with some of the best looking automobiles ever made.

Source: CarBodyDesign via Autoholics

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The Pantera has never been a car that’s garnered much respect from the exotic car crowd. With its Italian body and American heart, many of the super car purists simply looked upon it as an automobile with an identity crises. However, there are those of us who view these mechanical melting pots as some of the coolest high performance cars ever created. Designed by U.S. born designer Tom Tjaarda and built by De Tomaso over in Italy, the Pantera was outfitted with a 5.8-liter 351 cu in Cleveland V8 from Ford that produced 330 hp and 380 lb-ft of torque. This equated to a 0-60 mph time of around 5.5 seconds and a top speed of just under 160 mph. Pretty impressive numbers for 39 years ago. Keep in mind however that those numbers are for a stock 1971 Pantera and that the one you are viewing here is anything but.
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When most people hear the name De Tomaso, they immediately think of the Ford powered, mid-engined Pantera. Its sleek wedged shape design is timeless and with a blend of Italian style and American firepower under the hood, it’s thought by some to be one of the easiest of the classic super cars to own and operate. Unbeknown to some however, there was a predecessor to the flying wedge in the form of the De Tomaso Mangusta. The Mangusta is a car that made its debut in 1967 and is, in my opinion leaps and bounds ahead of the Pantera in terms of sheer looks and desirability. Designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro, the car looks like an organic cross between a manta-ray and a great white shark.
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For me, the 1980′s conjure up visions of cars like the Lamborghini Countach, Ferrari Testarossa and Porsche 959. These were the super cars of the day and ones that I always hoped I would have a chance to drive. Most of them were outstanding performers by 1980′s standards, and have thus far, stood the test of time. There were however a select group of exotics built during the 1980′s that for one reason or another, never really caught on with the buying public. Maybe it had to do with spotty build quality, an exceedingly high price tag or the fact that they were underachievers. Whatever the reason though some of these big dollar cars simply didn’t make it and because of that, they sit below as part of this list.
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Would you pay $98 grand for a Ford 302? I certainly would, considering it’s wrapped in gorgeous Italian steel. This 1970 De Tomaso Mangusta is one of only about 120 left in the world and it’s flawless with only 9,000-odd miles on the odometer. It’s for sale at Fantasy Junction, one of the best exotic car dealers on the West Coast. Hit the jump for more photos and info about this ’70s super car.

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