[Video] De Tomaso P72 goes snow testing | GRR
It’s been a while since we’ve seen or heard anything about the De Tomaso P72 and that’s upsetting. It’s beautiful, has a manual gearbox and the last we heard, a howling V12 engine, so that it went quiet on us was a bit worrying.
Well, it was never going to keep that V12. That was a donor motor from collaborator Apollo, to get the car moving and in a demonstrable condition. Now though, the P72 can be seen out cold-weather testing in Switzerland, making very different noises to when we heard it last. Yes, the V8 that was always destined to power this car is in and running, powering this camouflaged prototype as it slithers and gargles around in the snow. It’s not much, but signs of life are always good.
That V8 is expected to be a heavily modified and supercharged version of Ford’s Coyote 5.0-litre V8, as seen in the Mustang GT. Crude compared to the V12 we heard it with last? Maybe. It is however much more authentic to the De Tomaso name, with the Pantera famously mooted when new as a spiritual successor to the GT40, with Ford V8 power amidships. Of course, the P70 prototype racer that the P72 pays homage to, also used a 289CI Ford V8 too.