De Tomaso Longchamp GTS
The De Tomaso Longchamp was Alejandro de Tomaso's most ambitious road car — a full-size 2+2 grand tourer designed to compete directly with the Maserati Kyalami and Mercedes-Benz SLC. Named after the famous Parisian racecourse, the Longchamp was designed by Tom Tjaarda at Ghia and built on a modified De Tomaso Deauville sedan platform. The Ford 351 Cleveland V8 provided muscular performance with an unmistakably American soundtrack, while the all-independent suspension and ZF gearbox gave it European handling finesse. The GTS variant was the ultimate Longchamp, with a more powerful engine specification and upgraded interior appointments. Each car was hand-built by a small team in Modena, which meant production numbers were minuscule — only 409 Longchamps were built during the model's extraordinarily long 17-year production run. The interior featured premium leather, air conditioning, electric windows, and a level of equipment that rivaled anything from Germany or Italy. The Longchamp was often overshadowed by its mid-engined sibling, the Pantera, but it represented De Tomaso's vision of the perfect GT car — powerful, luxurious, and unmistakably Italian.
Extremely rare — finding one is the biggest challenge. Verify chassis number through the De Tomaso Registry. Ford V8 mechanicals are widely supported. Body panels are unique and unobtainable new. Check for rust in structural areas. The ZF gearbox is reliable but expensive if it fails. Previous owner history and documentation are crucial.
Only 409 units built over 17 years, including both coupe and a rare spider variant. Based on the De Tomaso Deauville sedan platform. Designed by Tom Tjaarda at Ghia. Various Ford V8s were used throughout production as specifications changed with emission regulations. Later cars used fuel injection.