The Only De Tomaso Nuova Pantera Prototype Ever Made Is Going to Auction

Remember De Tomaso? In case not, a reminder: De Tomaso was an Italian car company founded in 1959 that specialized in sports cars, race cars, and prototypes. De Tomaso actually owned Maserati for a stretch, buying it from Citroën in 1975 and selling it to Fiat in 1993.

In 1999, to celebrate the company's 40th anniversary in 1999, De Tomaso presented this Nuova Pantera. Sadly, this was the final car ever presented by the company’s late founder Alejandro De Tomaso. The brand faded into obscurity, with a few failed attempts to revive the name since this car was unveiled.

The De Tomaso Nuova Pantera was intended to be a successor to the iconic Pantera (which means “Panther”) produced from 1971-1992. The original Pantera was a mid-engine sports car and the brand’s most popular, longest-running model. The De Tomaso Pantera was sold in Mercury/Lincoln dealerships in the US from 1971-1974. About 5,500 of them made it here, one of which happened to be owned by Elvis Presley.

The 1999 De Tomaso Nuova Pantera for sale has no engine, or any mechanical parts at all. It also doesn’t have an interior, so you can’t even sit in it. It’s really just a shell of a car that’s a sad symbol of the failure of a once-great Italian automaker. It’s going to RM Sotheby’s auction in London on September 6th and it’s expected to sell for around $110,000.