De Tomaso Mangusta History

The Mangusta — Italian for 'mongoose,' an animal famed for killing cobras, an alleged dig at Carroll Shelby after a collaboration fell through — debuted in 1967 with coachwork styled by Giorgetto Giugiaro at Ghia. The name and the attitude announced the car's ambition clearly.

Power came from a mid-mounted Ford V8: European cars received the 289 or a 306 hp version, while nearly all North American examples used a 230 hp Ford 302 (5.0-litre). The backbone chassis was derived from De Tomaso's P70 racing project. Its most striking feature was a centre-hinged, two-section bonnet that opened like gull-wing doors to expose both the engine bay and a rear luggage compartment.

Despite its visual drama, the Mangusta was criticised for treacherous handling caused by extreme rear weight bias. Nevertheless, 401 cars were built through 1971, mostly sold in North America. The Mangusta gave De Tomaso the visibility to secure its landmark Ford distribution deal for the next model, the Pantera.