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The Pantera went on sale in North America and Europe in the spring of 1971. 5262 Panteras were imported into the US by Ford from 1971 through 1974 (based upon US DOT data). During that same period 1118 Panteras were sold outside the US by Ford in Canada and by DeTomaso in Europe and other international markets. Pantera assembly averaged 40 cars per week while DeTomaso was supplying Panteras to Ford. DeTomaso continued selling Panteras in markets outside North America when Ford ceased North American importation, assembly slowed however to about 1 or 2 cars per week; only 275 were assembled between 1975 and 1979. By 1980 the public had become infatuated with exotic Italian sports cars (i.e. supercars) attributable to the exposure of the Ferrari 308, Ferrari Daytona, Ferrari 512BB, Ferrari Testarossa and Lamborghini Countach on television and in movies. The Pantera competed successfully as a supercar with Ferrari and Lamborghini during the 1980's with the GT5 and GT5-S models. Many teenage boys (and their fathers) had posters of Panteras on their bedroom walls during the 1980s. 503 Panteras were built in this era (1980 - 1993); many of them were indirectly imported into North America as grey market vehicles, and some were directly imported by Amerisport. Altogether 7158 Panteras were assembled between 1970 and 1993 (production figures are based upon the best information available to us at this time and are subject to revision without notice). I wish to thank Bill Van Ess, Peter Havlik, Ben Tyer, Ron Hyde and Chuck Melton. Without their registries I would be fumbling in the dark. |