#DeTomaso Pantera 7X

[carsthatnevermadeitetc]

DeTomaso Pantera 7X, 1973, by Ghia. The original Pantera had been a hit for Ford in 1971 but would no longer comply with the new highway safety and emissions act that would come into force in 1974. The Pantera 7X (for 197X) was an attempt to make a second generation Pantera that would be compliant. Designed, as was the original, by Tom Tjaarda, the car was shown at various shows in 1974. However the fuel crisis of 1973 had hit supercar sales and Ford was dissolving their joint venture with DeTomaso so the 7X was looking somewhat redundant. Undeterred,  Ghia design studio president Don DeLaRossa had the prototype repainted Pearl White over Metallic Bronze, and renamed the Monttella in the hopes of interesting someone other than Ford in backing DeTomaso's project but no-one did.