One-off 1979 De Tomaso Pantera GTS Group 5 "Short-Tail" in racing action on the Nürburgring.

Sala-Marverti built a Group 5 Pantera converted from a factory Group 4. First raced in 1976, and driven by Maurizio Micangeli and Carlo Pietromarchi, this car included wider Group 5 bodywork, but underneath it retained much of it's original Group 4 configuration. To challenge the dominance of the Porsche 935s, for 1979 an all new ground-up build was needed and which was based on a new chassis provided by De Tomaso.

​The new Sala built Pantera, chassis 001, made its public debut at the Grand Hotel in Rome on 10 March 1979. The team continued to evolve the Pantera with new suspension uprights, geometry and A-arms. The wheels were replaced with 19" x 16" rear and 16" x 12" front center lock BBS wheels. In reality, this car was as much, or more, of a William Sala creation as it was a De Tomaso. Chassis 001 also underwent a few changes to the body during its competitive history. This included short-tail and long-tail versions as well as changes to the rear wing and nose.

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