De Tomaso P72: Retro-Inspired Supercar with 700HP and a Manual Gearbox

In a world brimming with concept cars that rarely evolve beyond flashy renderings and ambitious press releases, it’s easy to raise an eyebrow at yet another boutique supercar announcement. So when De Tomaso debuted the P72 at the 2019 Goodwood Festival of Speed — a striking homage to ‘60s motorsport design wrapped around bold performance promises — skepticism was fair. But unlike many vaporware projects, De Tomaso stayed the course. And now, six years later, the first production-ready P72 is here, built to the exact specification teased back in 2019.

This isn’t just another hyper-stylized garage queen. The De Tomaso P72 is powered by a bespoke 5.0-liter supercharged V8, hand-assembled with forged internals and paired exclusively with a six-speed manual transmission. With 700 horsepower on tap and a commitment to pure mechanical engagement, it’s a celebration of driver-focused performance in a world drifting toward digital detachment.

Designed for the Driver, Not the Algorithm

Where most modern supercars are loaded with drive modes, digital dashboards, and predictive stability systems, the P72 strips all of that back. There’s no touchscreen, no Apple CarPlay, not even Bluetooth. Instead, De Tomaso has crafted a cabin inspired by vintage race cars — analogue gauges, precision-milled switchgear, and exposed linkage for the manual gearbox. It’s the antithesis of the tech-heavy interiors flooding today’s market, and that’s entirely the point.

“The P72 rejects the digital age in favor of mechanical intimacy,” the company says. And it means it. This car doesn’t hold your hand — it demands your attention. There’s no drift mode or launch control. What the P72 does on the road is entirely dictated by the person behind the wheel.

Built From the Ground Up with Racing DNA

Beneath its timeless bodywork lies a brand-new carbon fiber monocoque chassis, engineered entirely in-house by De Tomaso. With carbon subframes and a focus on structural rigidity, this platform isn’t just about lightweight performance; it’s about setting new standards in chassis design. And while only 72 units will be produced, it’s likely this architecture will underpin future models, given the enormous cost and complexity of developing such a bespoke carbon tub.

The payoff is evident: the V8 sits low for an ideal center of gravity, weight distribution is finely balanced, and the seating position places the driver right at the car’s core — both literally and metaphorically.

A Cabin That Looks Like Art, Feels Like a Time Machine

If you're lucky enough to slide into the cockpit of a P72, you'll be greeted by a design that blurs the line between luxury and sculpture. No screens are vying for your attention — just a set of beautifully crafted dials, aerospace-style toggle switches, and trim details that wouldn’t be out of place in a luxury timepiece. Everything, from the overhead switchgear to the seatbelt buckles, feels handcrafted and deliberate.

De Tomaso offers deep customization as well. Whether you want rose gold finishes or a more understated bead-blasted aluminium look, every interior detail can be tailored to your taste. It’s a personal experience as much as a driving one — a far cry from the mass-produced interiors in many modern performance cars.

A Love Letter to the Past, Built for the Present

De Tomaso CEO Norman Choi summed it up best: “The P72 was our promise to faithfully revive a historic marque. 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.”

Launched exactly 60 years after the original P70 — a lesser-known collaboration between Alejandro De Tomaso and Carroll Shelby — the P72 isn’t trying to be a replica. Instead, it channels the essence of that golden age: raw power, stunning aesthetics, and zero compromise on the driving experience.

Final Thoughts

With the first customer-ready P72 now complete and just 71 more to follow, De Tomaso has delivered on a promise few thought would ever materialize. It’s not just a supercar — it’s a handcrafted, analog love letter to a bygone era of motoring, reimagined for the modern world. For those lucky enough to own one, it won’t just be a showstopper at concours events — it’ll be a visceral, unfiltered driving experience unlike anything else on the road today.

If you’re a fan of retro-inspired supercars, raw manual performance, or limited-production icons that break the mold, the De Tomaso P72 should be at the top of your wish list.