The DeTomaso P72 is finally ready

The DeTomaso P72 is firmly determined not to become supercar vapourware. Cast your mind back to the voluptuously styled beauty displayed at the 2019 Goodwood Festival of Speed, coated in rose gold. Since then, the silence has been rather ominous, and you would be forgiven for thinking the project had stalled completely.

Yet, despite formidable headwinds from the pandemic and political disruption, the P72 is now ready. TopGear.com has been given exclusive access to the completed car before its first, notably patient, customers receive theirs by Christmas 2025.

DeTomaso P72 V8 powertrain and manual gearbox

Early P72 prototypes prompted engine speculation after using the V12 from the Apollo Intensa Emozione, another project led by DeTomaso chief Norman Choi. Production cars, however, will honour DeTomaso’s tradition of American power. A 5.0-litre Ford V8, developed by Roush and fitted with forged pistons and a forged crankshaft, produces 700bhp and 800Nm - ample output for a car weighing roughly 1,400kg. It is supercharged by a bespoke unit designed to make as little whine as possible, as Choi favours the sound of a naturally aspirated engine. Performance figures remain unconfirmed, because Norman appears uninterested in 0-60mph times or maximum speed.

Photography: Mark Riccioni

Mounted amidships, the engine sits in a carbon cradle beneath a clamshell cover lined with gold foil, following the guidance set out in Gordon Murray’s supercar bible. It uses dry-sump lubrication, while its ceramic-coated exhaust system follows an elaborate route through the suspension wishbones before exiting directly through the top of the rear deck.

The example shown here wears vast silencers to satisfy European drive-by noise regulations, although DeTomaso is developing an exhaust with a more relaxed view of noise pollution.

Whereas the P72 concept featured a sequential transmission, the completed model fulfils the original promise of a six-speed manual gearbox, complete with a clutch pedal and an exquisite exposed linkage in the style of Pagani. Along with the GMA T.50, Aston Martin Valiant and Pagani Utopia, it seems the manual hypercar era has genuinely arrived.

P72 cabin craftsmanship and driving position

“Stick” scarcely does this arrangement justice. The gear lever is among 179 machined aluminium components in the P72’s extraordinarily elaborate cabin - 19 more than the Bugatti Tourbillon, which, we are told, uses the same metalworking supplier. Its knurled trim and controls can be specified in three finishes and an unlimited choice of colours, with countless details worthy of close inspection.

There is the Roman-numeral rev counter, which rises to IX (9), and the trio of central gauges for oil pressure, temperature and coolant. No infotainment system is fitted, nor Apple CarPlay or even a radio. The sole ‘screen’ is the mirror, which also serves as the rear-view camera display. This was a necessity specified by the company boss, a serial supercar owner who finds manoeuvring through Hong Kong’s narrow car parks mildly stressful. Buyers who would rather not have the digital mirror can delete it.

Since its Goodwood appearance, DeTomaso has revised the LMP1-specification carbon monocoque with a lower sill to make getting in easier. The seats are now fixed directly to the tub, creating more interior room, while the steering wheel and pedals adjust for each driver. Owners will sit on custom-made seat cushions.

The driving position is unmistakably race-car-like: low-slung, with your backside close to the floor and your heels elevated towards the floor-hinged pedals. Although compact, the cabin feels airy thanks to doors topped with glass - a feature observers will value just as much as those inside. After all, who would not want a clear view of that interior?

DeTomaso P72 GT practicality and availability

DeTomaso describes the P72 as a GT, rather than a track-focused Apollo from its related stable, hence the substantial 100-litre fuel tank. You will still need to travel lightly, though. Two luggage compartments behind the engine can each take a crash helmet and a change of underwear for both passengers, but the supplied luggage demands restrained packing.

If this is your first encounter with the P72, and you made a fortune selling hand sanitiser during Covid, you may well want one - even at €1.6m each, before taxes.

There is unfortunate news, however: every one of the 72 cars has been sold, and has been for years. A lengthy waiting list is in place should a buyer abandon their place. TG’s instinct is that DeTomaso has not invested all this effort in creating a new supercar for only one production run, so keep an eye out for the track-only P900 and, perhaps, another variant in the years ahead.

P72 Roadster anyone?

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