During the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este I filmed this 1972 De Tomaso Pantera Group 4.
The regulations defined by the FIA for Group 4 Special Grand Touring Cars provided clear guidelines for the homologation of race cars based on production models. These requirements ensured that cars competing in Group 4 were derived from legitimate, road-legal production vehicles and created a legacy of high-performance speedsters with real-world applications. Manufacturers needed to produce 500 road-able cars within a 12-month period. Additionally, the fundamental specifications had to be identical in order to comply with the homologation rules for Group 4. While the homologated base car established the foundation, manufacturers were allowed to carry out modifications to optimise the cars for life on the race track. Group 4 cars were visually and technically similar to their street-legal counterparts but aerodynamic and performance upgrades lent them a more aggressive and race-ready appearance. The beautiful De Tomaso Pantera was styled by Ghia’s automobile designer Tom Tjaarda and was an immediate hit at the launch in 1971. The sports car combined the classic recipe of Italian Dolce Vita and design flair with a robust American V8 power plant. Alejandro De Tomaso from Argentina succeeded in meeting the strict Group 4 requirements on the back of the Pantera’s strong sales, with more than 2,500 units being sold in 1972. The Pantera Group 4 was powered by a 5.7 litre V8 Ford engine unleashing a massive 500 hp. The engine was renowned for its reliability and immense torque. A ZF five-speed gearbox transmitted the power to the rear wheels and the Group 4 Pantera reached an official top speed of 331 km/h (206 mph). The construction of 25 cars was required to comply with the rules. However, only 14 Panteras can really be considered as genuine Group 4 cars, wearing lightweight aluminium bodies and powered by 500-plus horsepower race-tuned engines. This Group 4 car (Chassis no. 02874) manufactured in December 1972 was the last Group 4 car to be displayed on the De Tomaso Automobili stand at the Geneva Motor Show in 1973. In fact, this particular Group 4 Pantera never competed in any races and it is therefore an unblemished survivor with a high level of authentic originality. After parting company with the original Italian owner, the car has lived in Japan with only two further custodians.













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