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De Tomaso P72: Unmatched Italian Elegance Powered by an All-American Powerhouse

De Tomaso Automobili is an Italian car manufacturer, founded in 1959 in Modena, well-known for their prototypes and racing vehicles, and even included some Formula One appearances, most famously with their 1970 racing car built for Frank Williams and his F1 team.
De Tomaso P72 25 photos
Photo: De Tomaso
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In July 2019, right on the brand's 60th anniversary, De Tomaso surprised the automotive industry with the reveal of the P72 supercar at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. They presented an insanely beautiful machine that was intended to revive the brand to its former glory, positioning itself as a tribute to the original P70, a legendary 1965 collaboration between Carroll Shelby and Alejandro de Tomaso, the company's founder, first displayed at the Turin Motor Show.

The P72's design language evokes a timeless elegance that is very hard to apprehend, especially in the modern days when so much technology is at our disposal and everything goes digital. As Ryan Berris, De Tomaso General Manager, puts it, the P72's sole purpose is to create a "modern-day time machine that pays homage to an integral part of history and a car with its own provenance," getting inspiration from the grand touring days of the 1960s.

The vehicle's body emphasizes a continuous flow of curvy lines and smooth surfaces, bold wheel arches, a low front fascia, and a teardrop glasshouse roof architecture. The aesthetics optimize the looks and vice-versa. This machine is as close to a perfect proportion as De Tomaso can execute it and, when looking at all the physical details of the body, it definitely shows. Even tiny details as the classic-shaped wing mirrors and front emblem cap pay their tributes to the original P70 supercar.

De Tomaso P72
Photo: De Tomaso
The chassis of the P72 is based on the all-carbon structure of the Apollo Intensa Emozione (Apollo IE), a V12 GT1-inspired Germany-built racecar limited to only ten units worldwide. Even in the case of the P72, the monocoque, subframes, and crash structures adhere to the FIA LMP safety requirements, boasting a carbon mono-cell. This sort of approach is no stranger to De Tomasso, as their previous models like the Vallelunga, P70, and Mangusta feature a similar structural architecture.

The powertrain also follows the same recipe as the late P70, the modern P72 supercar being propelled by a bespoke V8 engine, which resulted from the collaboration of De Tomaso Automobili and the engineering company Roush, who mainly specialize in working on Ford Performance vehicles and parts. By taking this route, the special relationship between the two brands remained unhindered.

The Italian supercar uses a mid-mounted supercharged 5.0-liter V8 engine, which develops more than 700 hp and 608 lb-ft (825 Nm) of torque. Turbocharging and electrification were out of the question for De Tomaso because for them, "this was an important aspect as we do not require nor need 1,000+ bhp, but wanted to achieve a smooth, linear power-curve without detracting from the old-school American V8 soundtrack".

De Tomaso P72
Photo: De Tomaso
The Roush roots-type positive displacement supercharger utilizes a pair of four-lobe rotors, twisted at 170 degrees, providing a wide array of performance benefits. A few of them are highly enhanced thermal efficiency, higher volumetric capacity, increased operating speeds, efficient airflow pass-through, and improved noise and vibration characteristics. The latter was a critical aspect in the development of this powerhouse.

The supercharger wine most of us love was specially conceived to be as reduced as possible for the vehicle to resemble the naturally aspirated feeling of the P70 but still provide instant performance when demanded. Do not worry though, the P72's V8 acoustics have been fine-tuned to leave behind a magnificent eight-cylinder concert on every tap of the throttle, reminiscent of the 60's American muscle cars.

The original pricing for this beautiful machine is about $890,000 (€750,000), a hefty cost but worthwhile for the right owner. Sadly, good luck finding one because only 72 examples will ever be driving on the roads worldwide. Concerning the American market, production of the P72 in the US is set to commence in the fourth quarter of 2022.
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About the author: Dan Marinescu
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Since his early childhood, Dan developed an avid passion for cars and, now he sees himself as a genuine petrolhead. His enthusiasm comes from his father, an automotive engineer. They love to reminisce about the days when his dad showed him the inner workings of an engine and why everything does what it does.
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