De Tomaso announced the powertrain details of the
upcoming P72 supercar, which debuted at this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed. The revived car maker
collaborated with Roush in developing a Ford-sourced supercharged 5.0-liter V8
engine for the P72. The target output for the powertrain is set at 700+ HP and
over 825 Nm of torque.
De Tomaso says that the bespoke engine of the P72
will be fitted with a dry sump lubrication system and a new state-of-the-art
supercharger that allows for better thermal efficiency, higher operating speeds
and smoother operation.
In addition, the supercharged 5.0-liter V8 retains
the characteristics of a naturally aspirated unit, offering a linear power
curve and an old-school American V8 soundtrack. The engine is expected to
redline at over 7,500 rpm and the only transmission option will be a six-speed
manual gearbox. De Tomaso has also worked extensively to minimize any noises coming
from the supercharger, while meeting the emissions requirements in the US and
Europe.
The De Tomaso P72’s exhaust system is described as
“symphonic”, utilizing the cross-plane acoustics of the engine to create a
truly special experience. “The P72’s soundtrack brings one back in time as if
they were on the starting grid at Le Mans in 1966”, the company says in its
press release.
The P72 continues De Tomaso’s historic relationship
with Ford, which first started in 1963 with the Vallelunga, a mid-engined GT
powered by a Ford Cortina four-cylinder engine. Performance figures are not out
yet, but the company promises to release videos and audio clips of the De
Tomaso P72 in the coming months. Only 72 examples will be manufactured, with
prices starting from 750,000 euros (US$ 833k).
