Video: De Tomaso Pantera spied leaving Modena factory

The Pantera (which means ‘Panther’ in Italian) was a supercar of the ‘70s and ‘80s, and will become the halo car in the born-again De Tomaso range.

There is no confirmation of the new Pantera’s power source, although it is likely to get a version of the high-performance V8 engine that will feature in the upcoming Deauville crossover, which debuted at the Geneva Motor Show in March.

De Tomaso previously revealed the engine would produce 405kW, which would put the Pantera in the genuine supercar league with its compatriots: the Ferrari 458 Italia and the Lamborghini Gallardo.

The styling of the Pantera draws inspiration from the past, with its wide, rectangular lower opening paying homage to the ‘80s supercar’s mouth (as well as the Ferrari 458). The back half of the car, especially its gapping side air intakes, reminds of the Audi R8.

Earlier this year, De Tomaso announced that is planned to produce 2000 Panteras every year at its Modena factory.

The De Tomaso Pantera is expected to debut at the 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show in November, where we are likely to learn more about its performance potential and availability details.