1973 De Tomaso Pantera

The 1973 DeTomaso Pantera marks a pivotal year for the iconic mid-engine Italian-American supercar, serving as the final full production year sold through US Lincoln-Mercury dealerships . For the 1973 model year, the car featured the updated "L" designation (Pantera Lusso), which introduced distinct safety and cosmetic revisions to meet strict US federal regulations.


Key Performance Specifications
The Pantera combined striking Italian bodywork designed by Carrozzeria Ghia with a reliable, heavy-hitting American V8 powertrain.
Engine: Replacement 4.6L Ford Cobra V8 (replacing the original 5.8-liter (351 cubic inch) Ford Cleveland V8).
Power Output: 266 net horsepower (detuned from earlier years via lower compression to meet US emissions).
Transmission: 5-speed ZF manual transaxle (dog-leg first gear layout).
Chassis Layout: Mid-engine, rear-wheel drive steel monocoque.
Performance: 0–60 mph in roughly 5.5 seconds with a top speed of 140+ mph.


1973 "L" Model Specific Updates
To keep the car legal for sale in the United States, DeTomaso implemented several visible and mechanical changes for 1973:
The "L" Bumper: Replaced the sleek, split front chrome bumpers with a large, prominent black rubber impact bumper.
Engine Revisions: Utilized a lower 8.0:1 compression ratio and a modified camshaft to run on lower-octane unleaded fuel.
Interior Refinement: Upgraded to a unified, single-pod dashboard instrument cluster which replaced the heavily criticized split dual-pod gauges of 1971–1972 models.
Improved Cooling: Received factory updates to the radiator fan wiring and coolant expansion tanks to mitigate notorious overheating issues.