Having established himself as a serious automobile manufacturer with the Mangusta coupe, Alejandro de Tomaso commissioned Lamborghini designer Gianpaolo Dallara to produce the chassis for his new mid-engine supercar, the Pantera. Dallara opted for unitary construction for the steel chassis/body - abandoning the Mangusta's backbone frame. de Tomaso believed there was a significant opportunity to break into the American car market with an Italian design that was less expensive than a Ferrari or Lamborghini.

Ford Motor Company was de Tomaso's partner at the time of the Pantera's introduction in 1971 and thus the Pantera relied on Ford V-8 power. Mated to a ZF all-synchro five-speed transaxle, the 351-cubic-inch (5.8-litre) Cleveland engine enabled the Pantera to complete the 0-60 mph sprint in a little over five seconds and touch 160 mph flat out. Styled by Tom Tjaarda at Carrozzeria Ghia, the stunning coupe body was in fact built by Vignale, both companies being part of De Tomaso's e