1989 De Tomaso Pantera GT5-S – Classified of the Week

As classic enthusiasts we all have that fictional dream garage as a constant cogitation in the old cranium. That selection of cars and bikes that, should money (or space for that matter) be no object, we would have securely stashed away, ready to be driven at a moment’s notice. It’s an evocative mental image that some are lucky enough to call a reality. You just have to look at Gordon Murray’s collection to understand what we mean. His garage is the realisation of many a petrolhead’s fantasies but sadly, for most of us, the old dream garage remains just that. It’s always fun to pretend though, and every now and again we’ll see a car come up for sale here at Car & Classic that epitomises one of those imaginary vehicles parked up in our mental lock up and all of a sudden that becomes the one, the paradigm for that particular model. Well, ladies and gentlemen, the De Tomaso Pantera that sits in my dream garage now has a specific aesthetic and it’s that of this absolutely stunning Pantera GT5-S.

The original Pantera that debuted in ’71 was a svelte machine with lines akin to Lamborghini’s Miura, albeit a tad more hench. It was another statement piece for the Italian firm, following closely in the footsteps of De Tomaso’s previous offering: the Mangusta. Penned by American-born Tom Tjaarda – who was working out of Carrozzeria Ghia – the Pantera is very much a product of its time, capturing the Zeitgeist of pointy sports cars with big engines, but its designer wasn’t the only thing with American connections.

The engine was also a yank you see, being as it was a 5.8-litre Ford Cleveland V8 that developed 330 brake horsepower, enough to propel the Pantera to 60mph from parked in 5.5 seconds. Ford at the time had an 81% share in the company and so sourcing the motor wasn’t an issue but don’t be fooled into thinking this was a big, dumb muscle car. Far from it. The Pantera’s power was driven to the rear wheels via a sturdy ZF transaxle, all housed in a chassis that featured fully independent suspension at all four corners, rack-and-pinion steering and four-wheel disc brakes.

The Pantera was a hit and the car would continue to be developed over the course of its 21 year life span with ever increasing levels of performance and luxury. Make no mistake, the Pantera was always well-equipped, with such options as power steering, electric windows, air conditioning, leather upholstery, plush carpets and a stereo, and the Lusso and GTS variants were introduced shortly after the car’s initial inception.

But it wasn’t until ’84 that we got the GT5-S – the focus of this feature. The GT5 had been added to the Pantera line-up in 1980 and featured a much more aggressive aesthetic thanks to its flared wheel arches, deep front air dam and boot-mounted spoiler. The GT5-S continued the theme and went full on widebody mode. This time the entire shell was re-styled which incorporated the previous muscular accoutrements into the actual design rather than being bolt-on parts. The interior also featured myriad upgrades, including burlwood panelling. Posh.

So, if like us, it’s the Pantera GT5-S that floats your boat then take a look at this beauty we have available right now. It’s a 1989, left-hand drive model with just 30,000 miles on the clock. With the same owner for 21 years it currently resides right here in the south east of England. One of just 183 built and believed to be the only black example of the 15 currently on UK soil the exclusivity factor is very real.

Complete with a comprehensive history file, from the original owner’s initial order and return acknowledgement signed by Santiago De Tomaso, right up to the last service from around 50 miles ago, the car has clearly led a charmed life. With a recent spend of £35,000 on a full strip and respray, as well as various instances of mechanical fettling, it’s about as good as it’s going to get.

Purists may baulk at the add-ons but those who appreciate cars like the R34 Nissan Skyline GTR and BMW’s M1 Procar will be just as smitten with this Pantera GT5-S as we are. Yes we appreciate the original Panteras too but there’s just something about the GT5-S that really tickles the pickle and the black paint job here is the cherry on top. What you get then is a gorgeous, muscular and capable luxury GT car with plenty of V8 power and a five-speed manual gearbox. Seriously, what’s not to like?