1974 De Tomaso Pantera L by Ghia

Vintage and classic cars are something that we’re big fans of here at Coolector HQ and whenever we want to get our fill of the best of the best that are available to buy, RM Sotheby’s is where we will inevitably gravitate. So it has proven once again and our eyes have been treated to quite the sight in the shape of the spectacular 1974 De Tomaso Pantera L by Ghia which is coming up for auction with a guide price of between $140k-$160k.

This majestic looking machine certainly doesn’t come cheap but when they look as good as the 1974 De Tomaso Pantera L by Ghia, you wouldn’t expect them to. It is coming up without reserve on the RM Sotheby’s auction but the expected price is in excess of $150k but, chances are, this will become the main showcase piece in some vintage car collector’s line up of vehicles. With a staggering low milage under 5000 miles, there is still a lot of life in this old dog yet and we’re in little doubt it will be snapped up rapidly when it goes under the hammer.

Single Family Ownership

Incredibly well looked after, this 1974 De Tomaso Pantera L by Ghia has been owned by the same family for over 40 years and it is in pristine original cosmetic condition, including paint and interior as a result. It has been recently mechanically recommissioned and retains its original engine and many of the original stamping and markings, alongside its original glass and Goodyear Arriva tyres. There aren’t many classic cars like this out there that are in such immaculate condition and it’s going to be all the more saleable as a result.

The 1974 De Tomaso Pantera L by Ghia at RM Sotheby’s is a mighty unique vehicle that was originally built in Italy but was sold mainly through Lincoln-Mercury dealers in the U.S. with a full factory warranty. It combined Ford’s dead-reliable 351 Cleveland V-8 and American-style comforts – including power windows and air conditioning – with such European performance features as a ZF transaxle, power-assisted four-wheel disc brakes, and rack-and-pinion steering.

It really was the best of both possible sports car worlds, insomuch as it cost much less than a comparable Ferrari or Lamborghini but had a similar aesthetic impact and performance out on the road. The current owner’s family acquired this Pantera L in 1978, and have maintained it in their collection for the past 40 years. It has been carefully garaged alongside other fine sports cars and Full Classics and gently recommissioned mechanically, returning it to running and driving order, but is in cosmetically pristine order.

Original Condition

Almost entirely in its original condition, the 1974 De Tomaso Pantera L by Ghia is a real sight to behold. It has the original serial and body number tags are intact, as is the sticker on the air cleaner, and the original stampings are clear and correct throughout. There are even Missouri safety inspection stickers which are still on the Climaglass windshield. Accompanying the car is the original jack and tool bag, alongside the original owner’s manual. At the time of cataloguing, the car recorded only 4,818 miles, almost certainly the original figure as corresponding to the 1978 title.

With a guide price of around $150k, it’s going to need a deep pocketed individual to get their hands on the 1974 De Tomaso Pantera L by Ghia at RM Sotheby’s but whoever ends up being lucky enough to add this to their classic car collection will be getting a one in a million machine that has been exceptionally well looked after and will be running for many years to come because of it.