If you think the production De Tomaso P72 belongs in the “Speed Racer” cartoon from the ’60s, there’s a good reason for that.

The recently unveiled supercar takes its inspiration from the cars of the 1960s and it looks like it would be at home on a race track from that era.

The car skips digital screens, software-enabled drive modes and computers. Instead, the car offers an analogue and purely mechanical experience that is said to reward familiarity.

“Each journey becomes a dialogue between balance and bravery, precision and play,” the automaker said in a news release.

Just 72 cars will be built and customer deliveries are expected to begin in late 2025.

Powertrain

The car is powered by a hand-assembled supercharged 5-litre V8 engine producing 700 hp and 605 lb.-ft. of torque.

The driver has to work to get the car moving as it comes with a six-speed manual transmission with short gear ratios.

De Domaso Automobili didn’t provide acceleration or top speed numbers, but said the car is not tuned for top-speed dominance but for exhilarating in-gear performance that is “immediate, responsive, and emotionally rewarding.”

Body and chassis

The P72 rides on a carbon fibre chassis woven entirely in 4×4 twill weave, which extends from the central monocoque and through the front and rear subframes.

The unibody monocoque is formed from a single, uninterrupted piece of carbon fibre with no bonded sections. This is said to enhance rigidity and reduce weight.

The architecture was developed from the ground up, which the automaker said allowed for precise control of suspension geometry, mounting points and chassis balance.

“The result is a platform that delivers optimal weight distribution and a low centre of gravity, fundamental to the P72’s intuitive, analogue driving feel,” the automaker said.

The car’s full body is also made of carbon fibre.

The car rides on a push-rod suspension system, which is said to provide a classical driving feel. There is a three-way manually adjustable damping system that allows the driver to tailor the car’s ride to their preference.

Interior

As mentioned above, there are no digital screens inside. Instead, there are analogue dials and bespoke switchgear. The cockpit is meant to be shaped around the human connection.

The exposed linkage shifter is finished in polished metal.

There is no Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, etc. to connect the car to your phone, just a phone holder so you can put it away.

“In the P72, the road is the interface, and the engine is the soundtrack,” the news release said.

Interior surfaces consist of hand-stitched leather, machined metal and individually milled aluminum components.

Inspiration

The P72 was first shown as a concept car in 2019.

The car’s design was inspired by the 1965 De Tomaso P70, which was created through a collaboration by company founder and racecar driver of the day Alejandro De Tomaso and Carroll Shelby.

“The P72 was our promise to faithfully revive a historic marque,” said Norman Choi, CEO of De Tomaso Automobili, in the release. “This first production-specification vehicle embodies everything we stand for: a mechanical soul, timeless beauty, and a driving experience that rises above modern convention. It is our echo through time – now made real.”

Each of the 72 production cars will be individually commissioned and crafted for each customer. Pricing was not provided.

More information is available on the De Tomaso Automobili website.

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