Seventies Swagger - There’s a certain magic in cars that preserve the mood of their era, and
the De Tomaso Pantera has always been one of those machines.
Built at the junction of Italian design and American muscle,
it already carried a strong ’70s attitude,
yet one custom-ordered example from 1975 pushes that spirit even further with details that feel like a snapshot of the decade’s boldest impulses.
 |
| The 1975 De Tomaso Pantera Custom, built at the crossroads of Italian design and American muscle, amplifies its inherent ’70s attitude through bespoke details commissioned by a Greek entrepreneur and close friend of Alejandro de Tomaso. (Picture from: Motortrend) |
Panteras were produced in fairly significant numbers for a supercar of their time—
around 7,260 units—yet almost none were factory-customized. That’s what makes this particular car unusual.
It was commissioned by a Greek entrepreneur who happened to be a close friend of Alejandro de Tomaso,
and he approached the order sheet like it was a canvas.
He wanted the car as low as possible, without the usual side script,
and with a “T” placed at the center of the radiator.
The cabin had to be drenched entirely in white leather,
down to the space beneath the small gauges and the inside door panels.
He also requested EE plates,
the removal of the rear bumper,
and a free-flow exhaust system to emphasize character over convention.
 |
| The 1975 De Tomaso Pantera Custom was specified to sit as low as possible, delete the traditional side script, and feature a “T” emblem centered on the radiator. (Picture from: Motortrend) |
What the handwritten requests didn’t mention was the dramatic bodywork.
The car originally carried Group 4–style fender flares before they were swapped for boxier extensions that enhanced its already sharp silhouette. And while
the Pantera’s Ford-sourced 5.7-liter V8 was strong by default,
it’s believed that the engine was enlarged to 7.0 liters later in the decade, giving this one-off build even more presence and power.
 |
| The 1975 De Tomaso Pantera Custom initially wore Group 4–style fender flares before later adopting boxier extensions that intensified its sharp, wedge-like silhouette. (Picture from: Motortrend) |
Its journey took a strange turn when irregularities with registration and number plates led Italian authorities to seize the car in 1985. The owner never retrieved it, and it eventually emerged from police impound years later. At some point, it was restored back to the specifications originally laid out in that unusually detailed order, preserving the white-on-white aesthetic, bespoke touches, and bold stance exactly as envisioned in the mid-’70s.
 |
| The 1975 De Tomaso Pantera Custom featured an all-white leather interior extending across the dashboard, beneath the small gauges, and onto the inner door panels. (Picture from: Motortrend) |
When the car later appeared in an Artcurial Parisienne event in 2021, it stood out more for its personality than its fate among the catalog. Even though the auction generated nearly $22 million in overall sales,
this Pantera drew attention simply because it represented something rarely seen: a truly personalized vision built at a time when automakers weren’t yet in the business of offering bespoke supercar programs.
 |
| The 1975 De Tomaso Pantera Custom was further specified with EE plates, a deleted rear bumper, and a free-flow exhaust system. (Picture from: Motortrend) |
Machines like this reveal how expressive car culture once was. Instead of curated packages or digital configurators, individuality came from daring choices and direct relationships with the people who built the cars.
This custom Pantera embodies that freedom, carrying the mood of its decade in every flare, every leather panel, and every unusual request that shaped it into something unmistakably its own.
*** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | MOTORTREND ]Note: This blog can be accessed via your smart phone.
