The DeTomaso Mangusta is very much the forgotten Italian supercar, living in the shadow of the younger and more ubiquitous Pantera.
Using exclusive and rare interviews with the engineers, test drivers and factory personnel at the time, Eau Rouge bring you an unrivalled insight into this exciting, yet complex car. This book is an important addition to any automotive enthusiast’s library.
De Tomaso Mangusta by Marc Sonnery & Doug Blair
Of all the sports car manufacturers in Modena, world capital of craftsmanship on wheels, home to more iconic brands than any other city on earth, de Tomaso has always been the marque that received the least coverage.
Among its models, the Pantera was always in the spotlight, whereas its fascinating predecessor, the stunningly beautiful and groundbreaking Mangusta never received the attention it truly deserved. In fact there was a gaping hole in terms of research and documentation, which after painstaking years of work has now been filled with exhaustive interviews of all the significant participants in the tale. A vast number of never before published archive photos has been sourced, individual cars documented, and properly restored or untampered preserved original cars have been test driven and photographed. In the process quite a few myths were debunked, mysteries elucidated, questions finally answered.
Also extensively researched and documented is its predecessor the Vallelunga, of which the Mangusta was essentially the scaled-up offspring. The amount of material found on this gorgeous limited production four cylinder lightweight was a major surprise, and the finest in the world was also test driven and photographed.
Finally, in order to put the Mangusta in proper perspective, all of de Tomaso’s history is covered including the man behind it all, Alessandro de Tomaso – a man driven, never one to mince his words, always eager to move onto the next project. Ultimately, like the Mangusta, he was not flawless but it all adds to an extraordinary tale, one that was untold, until now.