De Tomaso Mangusta by Ghia
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Car producer : |
De Tomaso |
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Model: |
Mangusta by Ghia |
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Year: |
1966-1971 |
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Type: |
Coupe |
De Tomaso Modena SpA was an Italian car-manufacturing company. It was founded by the Argentine-born Alejandro de Tomaso (1928–2003) in Modena in 1959. It originally produced various prototypes and racing cars, including a Formula One car for Frank Williams' team in 1970. The company went on to develop and produce both sports cars and luxury vehicles. From 1976 to 1993 De Tomaso owned legendary Italian sports car maker Maserati, and was responsible for producing cars including the Biturbo, the Kyalami, Quattroporte III, Karif, and the Chrysler TC. De Tomaso also owned motorcycle company Moto Guzzi from 1973 to 1993.
The Mangusta, introduced in 1966 was the first De Tomaso produced in significant numbers. With the Mangusta, De Tomaso moved from European to American Ford engines. It was designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro, aluminium coupé built by fabled Turin coachbuilder Ghia—an Italian coachbuilder also controlled by Alejandro de Tomaso. The car had a 4.7-litre iron-block V8 engine, rear transaxle, and backbone chassis. Giugiaro’s muscular, wide-shouldered bodywork emphasised that the engine, which was visible under two clamshell-style rear windows, could propel the car from 0 to 60 mph in 6.3 seconds, through a 15-second quarter-mile at 94 mph and to a claimed top speed of 155 mph. About 400 Mangustas were built before production ended in 1971.
