The Italian car marque De Tomaso is making a comeback, unveiling a new car to mark the brand’s 60th anniversary at this summer’s Goodwood Festival of Speed on July 4-7. Little is known currently about the forthcoming car, code-named Project P, though De Tomaso has confirmed that it will be “co-developed with world-renowned technical partners”. It also has confirmed the car’s own hashtag, #DTprojectP, and has unveiled a new De Tomaso logo, “for the next generation”. An unidentified De Tomaso model in camouflage livery was also driven around Geneva earlier this year at the time of the Geneva Motor Show, with the car’s windshield banner reading “DTProjectP”. De Tomaso promises further details about the project over the coming months, and that the associated story telling “will reflect upon this special brand and its historical milestones”.
De Tomaso describes itself as “one of the greatest untold stories in automotive history”, and it hopes that the new Project P machine will go a way to boost knowledge about its heritage. The marque was founded in Modena in 1959 by the highly driven Argentine racer and visionary Alejandro De Tomaso. The brand is most associated with the legendary Pantera model, as well as its partnership with Ford and for producing Mangusta sports cars. However, the depth of the brand’s history and achievements are less well-known, such as that it had extensive single-seater racing involvement, even making Formula 1 cars that were run by a young Frank Williams. It also amassed a conglomerate of industrial holdings consisting of Ghia, Innocenti, Vignale, Moto Guzzi, Benelli and it even owned Maserati from 1975 to 1993.
Since Alejandro’s passing in 2003 the brand has been dormant. However, the spirit lived on thanks to passionate international owners clubs, and the rights to De Tomaso were purchased by Ideal Team Ventures (ITV), a Hong Kong-based investment company, in 2014. ITV also, in 2016, purchased German company Apollo, which it renamed Apollo Automobil. Since, the company has made the V12-powered Apollo IE supercar that was co-developed with Mercedes motorsport partner HWA. The Apollo IE is restricted to a run of 10 and costs €2.3m.
“Alejandro’s journey was never properly told and we feel his name should be commonly recognized amongst greats such as Enzo Ferrari and Ferruccio Lamborghini,” said Ryan Berris, De Tomaso general manager and CMO. “Since the acquisition of De Tomaso we have been secretively working behind the scenes on a world-class revival strategy with the intention to go public with our efforts for the 60th anniversary. When the new car debuts this summer, not only will another special vehicle be added to the brand’s heritage, but the story will finally be told.”
Images courtesy of De Tomaso
