BMW among the potential buyers of De Tomaso

BMW among the potential buyers of De Tomaso

According to Reuters, Italy’s Industry Ministry has confirmed that BMW is one of the parties interested in buying the defunct De Tomaso brand, with a sale process targeted to open by mid-October.

“We had confirmation that talks with possible Italian partners (who would buy the structural assets) and with BMW continue,” said UILM trade union secretary Giuseppe Anfuso, after a meeting attended by ministry, union and local government representatives of the Piedmont region and the city of Grugliasco recently.

However, it was only in May that a BMW spokesman told Reuters the German company had no interest in De Tomaso or any of its sites.

De Tomaso’s heyday was in the 1960s and 1970s, when it brought out Ford V8-engined sports cars such as the Mangusta and Pantera (Elvis Presley was an owner). The Modena, Italy-based firm folded in 2004 and attempts at reviving it have so far been unsuccessful. Earlier this year, plans to build a luxury crossover SUV in an ex-Pininfarina factory failed to materialise.

We can only speculate as to what would happen if BMW bought De Tomaso. A 21st-century Pantera with a BMW V8 engine would be great, but imagine a De Tomaso-badged X5…

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Jonathan James Tan

While most dream of the future, Jonathan Tan dreams of the past, although he's never been there. Fantasises much too often about cruising down Treacher Road (Jalan Sultan Ismail) in a Triumph Stag that actually works, and hopes this stint here will snap him back to present reality.

 

Comments

  • gtmaniac on Sep 18, 2012 at 4:05 pm

    Daihatsu not interested..?

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  • carnoisseur on Sep 18, 2012 at 5:19 pm

    hmmmm

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    • Jimmy Kopi on Sep 20, 2012 at 2:45 am

      How bout Myvi De Tomaso edition, lagi best, lagi cun, lagi tomato…

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  • DewaSemut on Sep 18, 2012 at 5:41 pm

    DRB tamau beli ka ini buah tomato? hehe :P

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  • indomee on Sep 18, 2012 at 7:13 pm

    never heard of this brands….

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  • kurangak on Sep 18, 2012 at 7:46 pm

    buy name only for what? even if detomaso badged x5, underneath it is still a bmw x5, with a surely overblown price tag just because it was badged detomaso…

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  • Never heard, maksudnya u tak tahu apa2 pasal kereta.. Hhahaah

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  • thequestion on Sep 18, 2012 at 9:48 pm

    what the heck first time heard this brand…sound like food name..

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  • kingston on Sep 18, 2012 at 10:56 pm

    BMW should buy down Detomaso & supercars like the Mangusta & Pantera,BMW needs a supercar company.Just like what Audi did with Lamborghiniwith the Gallardo Murcielago & Aventador.

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  • BMW should buy DeLorean! Back to the future baby.

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  • Jimmy Kopi on Sep 20, 2012 at 2:43 am

    Never heard this brand ? Never mind. But bet u have seen some fake/converted Daihatsu Charade De Tomaso on the road few years back. Very hard see one today…

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