More than six years after the brand rose from the ashes at Goodwood Festival of Speed with the P72 prototype, De Tomaso Automobili prepares the launch of its second production car in its new era. The P900rivals the likes of Koenigsegg or Bugatti and takes things to the next level in every way. For approximately 3 million dollars, selected customers can enjoy an engine, which could be the last of its kind.
A naturally aspirated V12, which wasn’t adopted from another manufacturer’s parts bin, but developed from scratch for the multinational hypercar. The specs are more than impressive: The 6,2 liter-machine puts out 900 horsepower – provided it runs on synthetic fuel. When it comes to rpm, it tops out at 12,300. It even outdoes the Gordon Murray Automotive T.50 by 200 rpm. A razor-thin lead that makes the De Tomaso one of the highest-revving hypercars with a combustion engine. Only the Red Bull RB17 outperforms it with its 15.000-rpm-V10.
Performance figures haven’t been released yet, but given the low curb weight of under a ton, we can expect impressive numbers. The V12 weighs only 220 kilos, including the transmission. A record, at leastamong twelve cylinders. But its visual appeal is the biggest strength of the P900’s powertrain. A register of tubes makes up a 12 to 1 exhaust manifold, which looks like the arms of a predator straight out of a science fiction movie. The Xenomorph from “Alien”, envisioned by Swiss science fiction artist H.R. Giger immediately springs to mind.
De Tomaso plans to only build 18 examples of its rear wheel driven halo car, which are destined for the track. Included in every purchase is a storage space for the car near the Nürburgring, which offers the best conditions to enjoy the performance and sound of the spectacular P 900. The hypercar’s exterior could be described as an extreme evolution of the design language that premiered with the P72 back in 2019.Huge air intakes and active aero are a must in this segment nowadays.
The only thing that’s still Italian about the brand is its name though. The rights were acquired by the Chinese investment firm “Ideal Team Ventures” in 2014. The new owners commissioned the German specialists from Capricorn to develop and build new De Tomaso models, in cooperation with other partners.