De Tomaso Biguà

Overview

Penned by Marcello Gandini and Alejandro de Tomaso, the Bigua was De Tomaso's replacement for its twenty year old Pantera. Introduced in 1996 at the Geneva Motor Show, the name was replaced with Mangusta during preproduction. It is powered by a 4.6 litre Ford V8, an engine also used in the Mustang. The double-overhead cam, all-alloy engine was capable of producing 305 hp. The vehicle can be opted with either a Borg-Warner 5-speed manual or a computer-controlled 4-speed automatic. Acceleration times were impressive, going 0-60 in just 4.2 seconds. Most prior DeTomaso models featured mid-engined designs; the Bigua, however, was front-engined. The Ford influence is not just mechanical, but aesthetically too. The instruments and other parts of the interior have taken styling cues from Ford and includes amenities such as air conditioning, CD sound system, power windows, locks, and seats. Production was expected to be in the neighborhood of 500 units per year.

Top

The car's most intruiging feature was its modular top design. The car can be configured as an open-topped targa, a convertible or a closed coupe at the push of a button. The middle panel can be removed and the rear top and window can rotate down into the body.

De Tomaso road car timeline

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1960s

1970s

1980s

1990s

2000s