- De Tomaso Mangusta
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"Mangusta" redirects here. For the military helicopter, see Agusta A129 Mangusta. For the later Mangusta, see Qvale Mangusta.
De Tomaso Mangusta 
Manufacturer De Tomaso Production 1967–1971 (401 produced) Predecessor De Tomaso Vallelunga Successor De Tomaso Pantera Class Sports car Body style 2-door coupe Layout RMR layout Engine 4.7-litre (4728 cc/289 cid) V8
5.0-litre (4949 cc/302 cid) V8Transmission ZF 5-speed manual Height 1,100 mm (43.3 in)[1] Curb weight 1,185 kg (2,612 lb) 
De Tomaso Mangusta Group 4 GT
The De Tomaso Mangusta is a sports car from Italian automobile manufacturer De Tomaso produced between 1967 and 1971.
Contents
History
The Mangusta replaced the Vallelunga model, on which its chassis was based.[2] The word "Mangusta" is Italian for "Mongoose", an animal that can kill cobras. It was rumored that the car was so named because De Tomaso had some talks with Carroll Shelby to replace Shelby Cobra with a racing car built in Italy by the argentinian ("De Tomaso Sport 5000" a.k.a. "De Tomaso P70")[3], but no deal was signed since Shelby was involved by Ford into Ford GT40 racing programme. Nevertheless, Alessandro DeTomaso and Carroll Shelby were friends[citation needed] and business is business, so it is also rumored that the initial 200 engines for the Mangusta did come from Shelby. The Mangusta was replaced by the much cheaper to build De Tomaso Pantera in 1971.
401 Mangustas were built, about 150 of the European version, with four headlamps and Ford 289 Cu.In. engine; and the rest are USA version, with 2 "pop up" headlamps and less powerful Ford 302 engines. One car was built with a Chevrolet engine for General Motors Vice President, Bill Mitchell[4]. There are reported to be fewer than 170 left in existence, according to the three available registries.
Specifications
Originally fitted with Ford 289 V8 engine mid-mounted 306 horsepower (228 kW) (Eu version), in the North American market the Mangusta was introduced with a Ford 302 V8 engine 220 horsepower (160 kW), driving through a 5 speed ZF transaxle. Giorgetto Giugiaro designed the car, which is easily recognised by its gull wing doors over the engine and luggage compartment. Disc brakes were fitted at all four corners. Top speed was claimed to be 250 km/h (155 mph).[2]
The Mangusta was relatively inexpensive for the time but, with a 32/68 weight distribution and a less than solid chassis, suffered from stability problems and poor handling. The car was also cramped and had extremely low ground clearance.[2]
Revival
The Mangusta name was revived in the early 2000s when the concept car De Tomaso Biguà became the Qvale Mangusta, after a dispute between De Tomaso and business partner Qvale. The Qvale sold only in limited numbers.
References
- ^ "De Tomaso Mangusta Part 1: Mangusta". www.qv500.com. http://www.qv500.com/detomasomangustap1.php. Retrieved 2007-12-17.
- ^ a b c Lawrence, Mike (1997). A to Z of Sports Cars 1945-1990. Bay View Books Ltd. ISBN 1-870979-81-8
- ^ http://www.qv500.com/de-tomaso-registry/de-tomaso-sport-chassis-numbers/de-tomaso-70p-sport-5000/
- ^ http://www.qv500.com/car-guide/de-tomaso/de-tomaso-mangusta-speciale/
External links
- [1] - Pictures of a 1969 De Tomaso Mangusta
- [2] - The PROVAMO registry of De Tomaso Automobiles
- [3] - The Mangusta International Mangusta Registry
- [4] - The QV500 Registry of De Tomaso Automobiles
- [5] - A small De Tomaso registry in Excel format that can be downloaded. Includes a page dedicated to the Mangusta
De Tomaso Modena S.p.A. car timeline, 1960s–2010s Type 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 RMR Vallelunga Mangusta Pantera Guarà FR Sedan Deauville FR Coupé Longchamp Biguà Categories:- De Tomaso vehicles
- Rear mid-engine, rear-wheel drive vehicles
- 1960s automobiles
- 1970s automobiles
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