Reborn Italian manufacturer De Tomaso has revealed that its limited-run P72 supercar is powered by a supercharged Ford V8.
The mid-mounted 5.0-litre unit has been modified by American tuning firm Roush and is expected to produced around 700bhp and 608lb ft. A bespoke dry-sump lubrication system ensures adequate oil flow even under hard cornering, while a new type of supercharger is said to bring enhanced thermal efficiency, higher operating speeds, improved airflow and reduced noise and vibration.
De Tomaso claims that the V8 retains "the character of a naturally aspirated engine" despite the supercharger and has been designed to achieve a "smooth, linear power curve without detracting from the old-school American V8 soundtrack". The 1965 De Tomaso P70 from which the P72 takes styling inspiration was also powered by a 5.0-litre Ford V8, with performance upgrades carried out by revered engineer Carroll Shelby.
Performance details are still yet to be confirmed, but the firm has said it will release video and audio clips of the engine running in the coming months.
Revived by Hong Kong-based IdealVenture, the team responsible for the Apollo Intense Emozione, the P72 is based around that car's underpinnings, including a carbonfibre monocoque chassis that's built to LMP (Le Mans Prototype) race regulations.
The exterior design takes much inspiration from 1960s Le Mans racers and De Tomaso’s back catalogue but with a distinctly modern twist. The interior takes a leaf out of Pagani’s book, with opulent fixtures, the finest materials and an open-linkage gearshift.
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It's a gorgeous car but... it's got retro styling and yet doesn't seem to relate to anything in DeTomaso's back catalogue. It looks more like a reimagining of a 1960s racing Porsche.
I'd readily believe it was a design that was originally intended for Porsche but was turned down for some reason, and was then sold to DeTomaso who didn't care that it didn't look anything like their old cars.
I'd love to have it parked on my drive because it looks fantastic, but it would always feel like the badge was some kind of mistake.
Shame about the projected price
I recall the original Pantera was rather more realistically priced. Still expensive, but apparently even sold and serviced by certain US Ford dealers. Perhaps the new mid-engined Corvette is the more 'affordable' everyday supercar? Nevertheless, it's still good to see the De Tomaso brand resurrected.
It does make me chuckle.....
....in 1973 the Motoring press poured scorn on the Allegro's 'Quartic steering wheel'. They commented that the car was impossible to control properly with this shape wheel (and that was with as little as 49 bhp and front wheel drive!)
Now all the Supercars have this with 700 bhp to over 1000!!!
Does this mean that the Allegro was ahead of its time?
289 wrote:
These supercar quartic steering wheels are far squarer than the Allegro's too!
289 wrote:
I was thinking similar but I wonder if these have variable racks that enable it to have 3/4 - 1 turn lock to lock without making it too darty/nervous at the straight ahead and still give a good lock? The Allegro would have been 2-3 turns lock to lock so more difficult to handle?
Allegro definitely ahead of
I see the tach goes all the
I see the tach goes all the way up to IX! Wonder where the acies rubra is?