Skip to main content

Replies sorted oldest to newest

The comments about the “New” DeTomaso organization sound ominous. Not what you would want to hear about their attempt to come back to the market.
Unless all of the other players are just trying to shovel dirt to put DeTomaso back in the grave permanently, it does not sound good.
I have been reluctant to get excited about the new venture when they first announced an SUV as their first project. An upscale SUV with the new (horrific) DeTomaso badge will not excite the market.
Jeff
Still hoping for a version of the “Panthera” to wear the “old” DT badge in America.
There are some very good people in place in the San Diego region who are helping homologate the new DeTomaso Automobili cars. It is sad that before one car has even hit the road, there is a lot of negativity about the organization and the cars. Clearly, if DeTomaso Automobili intends to reach out to us old 'skool owners, more of an attempt would be helpful. They do have some big plans including having a DeTomaso Museum at their factory and naturally, a new Pantera which I am told they are trying to advance in terms of its release.
The new owners of DeTomaso have major experience in automobile production, particularly using aluminum. I wish the new Pantera was first out of the gate. I would be willing to bet that by next year's Concorso, there will be at least one new DeTomaso on the grass and increased factory presence. It would be a positive thing to again have a functioning factory so DeTomaso does not become a totally obscure marque.
The new De Tomaso owners sent a PR/film crew to the Reno Fun Rally and they conducted extensive photo shoots, interviews with cars and owners, plus some back road video shoots on the day excursions.

Maybe things have changed but the imnpression at that point was they were most certainly going to build on the heritage of the De Tomaso marque. That said IMO it will be a long wait for a new Pantera if it ever comes at all.
I agree with Julian; I've seen nothing from nuova-DeTomaso that couldn't be explained by two facts:
1- we're not hiring outside consultants
2- we're not hiring outside designers. We're too busy getting the operation viable in a hostile financial climate, running in a failed assembly plant in a depressed region of Italy. We have plenty of problems relative the above, thanks.
Saw this come across my email, supposedly from a magazine in England:

De Tomaso Funding Shock

De Tomaso Automobili’s plans are in turmoil since the European Commission has denied the expected funding to train 900 employees at the company’s Grugliasco plant (previously owned by Pininfarina). This has slowed Gian Mario Rossignolo’s ambitious programme dramatically. Will there be a new De Tomaso at the 2011 Geneva motor show? That seems unlikely to happen now, with DeTomaso possibly forced to make many of its workers redundant.
Umm... I kinda like it actually. Yes, it has the interior of the Isigna or the Cadillac SRX but it still looks nice. Having said that, I don't think it should wear the De Tomaso badge. It just isn't the right type of car. Then again the prototype Soviet SUV De Tomaso was working on wasn't the right type of car either. However, if it provides funding for the hopeful Pantera rebirth... All is well.
Tom Tjaarda had some excellent styling proposals for this new DeTomaso. He was dismissed by DeTomaso. They should re-hire him to do this car right before it is too late.
The engines are GM sourced. The V6 is from the new Cadillac SUV I understand and the V8 will be similar to the CTS-V. The only thing I like about the car is the diesel option.
The styling is really lackluster when considering the former Alejandro era cars. Mrs.DeTomaso's wagon would be a whole lot better and more useful as well.
It will be a miracle if these cars are a sales success. The new DeTomaso company is trying to target younger, more affluent customers and generally forsake us elder-cockers. If true, they are off to a flying start with this offering.
The skeptic in me thinks this whole exercise is about milking various governments for tax dollars (lire?) under the guise of a realistic attempt at producing a vehicle.

I can't see why anyone outside of Italy would even consider buying such a lump. What sets it apart other than an obscure name on the back and a nice interior? I guess it's on-par with the ugliness of the X6. Service and repair dealerships will need to be piggy-backed on an existing brand. It worked with the new Mini, but that was a BMW-owned brand.

If this venture (with THAT "car") succeeds I'll print out this post and eat it.

Mark
After scrutinizing the entire lux SUV market, I recently bought an Audi Q7 ... and I'm still a little shocked by the sheer cost of these vehicles. It's a necessity to have AWD in these parts ... but to spend DOUBLE on this new entrant? I dunno.

I'm not enamored with the style, but it could sell at half the price. Best of luck to these guys ...
OK. I get it now.

All along I've been expecting the "new" De Tomaso to harken back to the 60's and 70's for inspiration. Turns out that in an effort to capture the "younger" market, they have drawn inspiration from the crazy 80's....


http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors...c58c23#ht_1667wt_777

Mark (not going to be getting much fiber anytime soon).
I've made my feelings known. So much so that the last few posts were deleted. Anyhow, here's a different take on it.

I showed my wife these latest 3 pics of the SLS. Her lease will soon be up on her Merc SUV and she is looking around and has been sending me pics of cars she is looking at. She has absolutely no brand loyalty. She likes what looks nice. Period.

She thought that the SLS was a stunningly beautiful car. Sleek, swoopy and one she would buy. When I told her what it was she asked if was all about performance or just a regular car.

The bottom line: it fits right in with other nice cars she's looking at. It's right alongside Acuras and BMWs and Nissans. But costs twice as much. Not at all what we would expect as the new firstborn of "our" Marque but it's interesting to know that some women would find it so attractive. Seeing as few of us do.
It would be nice if this car would be a sales success whereby the new DeTomaso could bring the new Pantera to market. It is too bad the Pantera wasn't the first car launched. The sedan shown is being homologated for the U.S. and perhaps there will be buyers for it stateside. I am unaware of any attempt to reach out to DeTomaso owners by the new organization other than their filming the POCA Reno event last year. We are waiting.............
As some of us have said, we don't seem to care for the new car! As in not very good looking! And, the $175.000 price tag doesn't help! But thats just me!

If the designers are happy with the looks of this car, one can only wonder what the designers might think a new Pantera should look like? Let alone the price? I would guess the price tag of a new Pantera would be out of the reach of a lot of us? Again, Thats just me.
Post
×
×
×
×
Link copied to your clipboard.
×