Back in the ’70s, Alejandro De Tomaso, a race car driver turned carmaker from Argentina, challenged the supercar dominance of Ferrari and Lamborghini with a moderately priced competitor. The result was a sleek, visually pleasing sports car called the Pantera. That supercar power came straight from a 351 Cleveland V8.
The Pantera was designed by an Argentinian and made in Italy, but it had the heart of an American muscle car. The specs were impressive for its time, with early models pushing around 330 horsepower, enabling a sprint from 0 to 60 mph in just 5.5 seconds. It wasn’t just straight-line performance that made the Pantera a great car. The Pantera was built to move, equipped with a ZF 5 speed manual transmission, independent suspension, and disc brakes on all four wheels.
The Pantera faced challenges over the years, like the oil crisis in the ’70s and new emission rules for cars, but the car kept evolving and adapting. De Tomaso made different versions of the Pantera, each improving on the last. The Pantera’s legacy is not just in the limited numbers produced or the speed records it set, but in its appeal to collectors and enthusiasts who appreciate the mix of style, performance, and international collaboration. If you’re looking for the coolest car with the 351 V8, this might be it.
