De Tomaso P72 heads into production six years after concept reveal

Six years after a production concept was originally unveiled at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, the De Tomaso P72 is finally ready for the road.

Costing £1.6 million each, only 72 will be produced, with deliveries set to begin by Christmas 2025.

De Tomaso Automobili’s Story

Company founder and racing driver Alejandro De Tomaso

In 1959, the company was founded in Modena, Italy, by Argentine-born racing driver Alejandro De Tomaso and in 1963, its first production vehicle - the Vallelunga - was created. This was followed by the Mangusta in 1966, with 400 being produced before production ended in 1971.

That same year, De Tomaso was acquired by Ford, and the American company provided the 351 Cleveland V8 engine for the Pantera.

De Tomaso died in 2003, and a year later the company went into liquidation, despite production continuing on some of its cars. By 2008, a buyer for the factory and trademark was being sought by its liquidators and after a period of ownership by Gian Mario Rossignolo, DeTomaso again found itself for sale in 2012.

After a few more years of inactivity and with the original factory in a state of neglect, the company was bought by Hong Kong-based businessman Norman Choi in 2014 for just over €1 million, with Choi vowing to restore the brand to its former glory.

Fast forward to the 2019 Goodwood Festival of Speed, and the revived brand was unveiling the P72 concept in production specification, which used the one-off P70 from 1970 as inspiration.

De Tomaso at the 2019 Goodwood Festival of Speed.

Exterior

Let’s talk about that design. Wow.

Blending the look of a classic Lamborghini front end and a modern Pagani rear, the De Tomaso P72 ticks all the right boxes when it comes to style. With curves in all the right places and aerodynamic boosting indents in the sides, the P72 goes all out in proving it can mix with the big boys. A racing stripe from front to rear gives it an added edge reminiscent of the Ford GT40 that graced Le Mans.

While the P72 is inspired by the P70, this model is unique and was built from the ground up. The structure is fully carbon fibre and low to the ground, with a centrally located powertrain giving it optimal weight distribution and a low centre of gravity. The uninterrupted piece of carbon fibre with no bonded sections reduces weight and sets a benchmark for what supercars can be in this modern age.

Engine

The P72 honours De Tomaso’s V8-powered heritage by using a hand-assembled 5.0L supercharged V8 that produces 714 bhp and 820Nm of torque. This is smaller than the V12 engine seen in 2019’s concept, although company owner Norman Choi says this has been done in order to be “easier to maintain” as well as continuing De Tomaso’s tradition of V8 use throughout its history.

Interior

At first glance, P72’s interior is absolutely stunning; however, focus your eyes for a little longer and you’ll notice a distinct lack of something.

Yes, that’s right. The P72’s cockpit has no screens, no infotainment and, as De Tomaso puts it, “no distractions”. These are replaced by traditional analogue dials and bespoke switchgear, with the sound of that V8 providing the only soundtrack you’ll need. De Tomaso has been kind enough to create a discreet phone holder, at least.

Hand-stitched leather on the fixed seats, steering wheel and surfaces is complemented by metal on the gearbox and finishing elements, or as De Tomaso describes it, “individually milled aluminium components, each crafted by artisans”.

“A driving experience that rises above modern convention”

“The P72 was our promise to faithfully revive a historic marque,” said Norman Choi, CEO of De Tomaso Automobili. “This first production-specification vehicle embodies everything we stand for: a mechanical soul, timeless beauty, and a driving experience that rises above modern convention. It is our echo through time—now made real.”

Rumours have also circulated in recent times of a possible De Tomaso race team and even an attempt at Le Mans glory in the future. I guess we’ll have to watch this space…

words: Mike Booth
pictures: DeTomaso