Property of a deceased's estate
1972 De Tomaso Mangusta Coupé

• One of an estimated circa 250 surviving out of 401 made
• Rare right-hand drive example
• Present ownership since 1996
• Regularly serviced, MoT'd and maintained

One of the very first supercars, the Mangusta effectively established De Tomaso as a serious automobile manufacturer on its arrival in 1967. The Mangusta (mongoose) was powered by a mid-mounted 289ci (4.7-litre) Ford V8 engine. Also used to power Ford's GT40 Le Mans challenger, the iconic '289' produced 306bhp as installed in the Mangusta, which also used the GT40's early-type ZF transaxle. Later Mangusta production used the Ford 302ci (5.0-litre) engine together with a ZF transmission. Carrozzeria Ghia's Giorgetto Giugiaro contributed the striking coachwork featuring 'gull wing' engine covers, which had been intended for Giotto Bizzarrini. With 300-or-so horsepower on tap in its original form, the aerodynamic Mangusta was good for a top speed in the region of 155mph. All-round disc brakes helped restrain this outstanding performance.

Alejandro De Tomaso enjoyed close links with the Ford Motor Company at this time and the American firm helped put the Mangusta into larger scale production than would otherwise have been possible. Nevertheless, only 401 examples were made between 1967 and 1972 compared with 765 examples of the contemporary Lamborghini Miura, and any Mangusta is extremely rare. The three marque registries estimate that there are only some 250 Mangustas remaining worldwide, making these survivors very rare and all the more so in right-hand drive form, as seen here.

This Mangusta was first registered on 26th January 1972 and according to the old-style buff logbook was previous registered as 'JLB 9K' and 'TES 64'. The first keeper was a Michael P D StJ Neilan of London W1, who was followed by Sidney Foreman of London NW9 (1974) and then John Webster of Bradford, Yorkshire (1975). According to a previous owner, this car has appeared in a few publications/books by Richard Nichols and in the gentleman's magazine, Mayfair!

The late owner acquired the Mangusta in 1996 when it was registered 'ABW 84K'; its previous keeper was Michael Parsley of Southampton (1990) and the deal was done directly for the sum of £27,000. The recorded mileage in 1990 was 22,546 and in 2020 it was 28,773. Since 1997 the car has been regularly serviced, MoT'd and maintained by Ferdi's Garage in Lytham, Lancashire. There is a bill on file for £4,600 for a new exhaust and front wheel bearings in 2010. Ferdi's last bill was issued in 2020. The history file also contains an owner's handbook, and original brochure and a V5C document.