De Tomaso Moves One Step Closer to Oblivion

The liquidated De Tomaso concern failed to find any buyer for the license at the latest auction.  The Modena-based company was founded by Argentine racer Alejandro de Tomaso in the 1950s.  De Tomaso established his place in the Italian exotic car world with the Mangusta late in the Sixties, followed by the long-running Pantera.  For a time, de Tomaso controlled what could be considered the automotive equivalent of the Timurid Empire.  He held ownership of Maserati, Moto Guzzi, Benelli, and Innocenti, but his tenure as owner saw these makes (already weak when seized) decline in quality and prestige in the 1970s and ’80s.

The De Tomaso franchise never achieved lasting glory, even though the Pantera was manufactured for twenty years.  Attempts to branch out into grand touring coupes and luxury saloons likewise failed.  By the ’90s, de Tomaso was in poor health from a stroke and most of his assets had been sold off.  Since his death in 2003, de Tomaso’s legacy has been fraught with failed ventures and aimless projects.  While De Tomaso was never a great company, it’s place in sports car history in undeniable.