This DeTomaso Mangusta was delivered new in May 1969 to Ing. Gustavo Díaz Ordaz Bolaños, Presidente de la Republica Mexicana, for $8,891 (copy of purchase invoice on file). Of the 401 Mangustas produced, most had the less-powerful, 271-horsepower, 302-ci Ford V8 engine, while comparatively few had the superior 289-ci version with 306 hp, like this example.
This car’s early history remains vague, but it is believed to have stayed with the Mexican president for several years and to have remained in Mexico for some time thereafter, at least until the end of the 1970s. The car then moved to the U.S., where it was bought as a restoration project around 2017 by a European collector and brought back to Europe to start its painstaking full restoration. The Mangusta had been off the road for a long time and dry-stored for many years.
The restoration was undertaken in France by GT-Label between 2017 and 2022 with no expense spared; detailed invoices for all the restoration work are on file. GT-Label is known to not over-restore cars, instead refurbishing them in the correct spirit of the particular car’s era.
This rare example is presented in stunning Azul Blue (as from new), making it stand out from the far-more-numerous red examples. The beautiful interior has not been over-restored, which is what one would appreciate as a car collector. This Mangusta is a real head-turner, and with the ever-growing appreciation of Italo-American cars, this fine example will appeal to any discerning collector.
(Introductory description courtesy of Bonhams Cars.)
SCM Analysis
Detailing
| Vehicle: | 1969 DeTomaso Mangusta |
| Years Produced: | 1967–71 |
| Number Produced: | 401 |
| SCM Valuation: | $250,000–$400,000 |
| Chassis Number Location: | Stamping on rear frame member near right rear corner of engine compartment; data tag in front compartment on bulkhead |
| Engine Number Location: | Intake side of engine block |
| Club Info: | Pantera Owners Club of America (welcomes all DeTomaso models) |
| Website: | http://poca.clubexpress.com |
| Alternatives: | 1966–73 Lamborghini Miura, 1971–78 Maserati Bora, 1973–84 Ferrari Berlinetta Boxer |
| Investment Grade: | C |
This car, Lot 146, sold for $329,767 (€299,000), including buyer’s premium, at Bonhams Cars’ Knokke-Heist, BEL, auction on October 6, 2024.
At the 1966 Geneva Auto Show, Lamborghini revealed to the world what was to become the first mid-engine supercar — the Miura. Overnight a new category of motorcars had been born, and traditional exotic-car manufacturers, such as Ferrari and Maserati, suddenly looked outdated. This created a void where more-nimble manufacturers could quickly introduce their own competitors. That is the story of the DeTomaso Mangusta.
Going home
Alejandro DeTomaso was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He was of Italian descent, from a prominent family in the cattle business. In 1955, Alejandro was implicated in a plot to overthrow the Argentinian president, Juan Peron, and fled to Italy. Apparently, nobody advised Alejandro that it is seldom a good idea to go after a powerful dictator. He then changed the spelling of his name to Alessandro to make it appear more Italian.
Once in Italy, he pursued his passion for racing. He even drove in Formula 1, though his results were unremarkable. In 1959 he founded DeTomaso Automobili, initially building prototypes and race cars. His first production sports car was the Vallelunga, of which only 59 were built. A rather attractive car but with a 1.5-liter Ford Cortina engine, it was certainly not a supercar and not a commercial success.
DeTomaso had ambitions to expand his company, eyeing Maserati when it was yet again fending off bankruptcy. Luckily for Maserati, Citroën came to the rescue, and DeTomaso had to look elsewhere. He purchased Ghia and Vignale, two storied Italian carrozzerie. With the purchase of Ghia came a young designer by the name of Giorgetto Giugiaro. Giugiaro had already left his mark with the brilliant Iso Grifo and Bizzarrini Strada while at Bertone.
Cobra killer
With the introduction of the Miura, DeTomaso saw the opportunity to compete in this new market segment with a car powered by a reliable American engine. He had a close working relationship with Ford at the time, and the Ford 289-ci V8, which had been successful in the Shelby Cobra, was the chosen powerplant. Giugiaro was given the task of creating a memorable design, while the chassis was a derivative of the prior Vallelunga. Perhaps inspired by the Mercedes-Benz 300SL’s gullwing doors, access to the mid-mounted engine is via two center-hinged panels. This gave the car a distinctive and exotic look, which remains to this day its most intriguing styling highlight.
The car was revealed at the 1966 Turin Motor Show and named Mangusta, Italian for “mongoose.” These are cat-like mammals resistant to snake venom, one of just a few animals that can kill a cobra. Needless to say, this was a jab at Shelby’s sports car. The press was impressed with the design, but many period road testers were critical of the Mangusta’s stability due to its 44/56 front to rear weight distribution.
I recall years ago considering the purchase of a Mangusta and took one out for a test drive. You sit very low in the car, with hardly any side or rear visibility. It was good that I had a passenger with me, or I would not have been able to safely merge. Granted, I was not familiar with the car, and perhaps I just needed to spend more time adjusting the seat and mirrors. I did not purchase that Mangusta, and looking back, it is on my list of cars I should have bought when I had the opportunity.
Fairly bought
Our subject car sold for $330k at Bonhams Cars’ Belgian auction. It has the desirable 289, while later cars had a Ford 302. It also has quad headlights, which are considered more attractive than the U.S.-federalized pop-up headlights used on later Mangustas. The car was initially sold to the then-president of Mexico, though what’s more important about the invoice is that it specifies the car as being blue with a black interior, which is the color it is today. Personally, I think it looks fantastic. The Mangusta interior is rather spartan, with a row of seven barely marked toggle switches that will challenge a memory cognitive test.
According to the catalog description, this Mangusta’s restoration was completed in France starting in 2017. The process took over five years at a cost of over $200k. There was a statement in the catalog that caught my attention: “Since the car’s professional restoration, it has hardly been driven and will need some shakedown kilometers.”
Those of us that have been involved in restorations know this final shakedown is critical and can be both time-consuming and expensive. Given the unique color, ownership history and documented restoration, I would consider this sale fair for both parties. ♦
