[DeTomaso] Qvale Mangusta/Bigua

[MikeLDrew at aol.com]

In a message dated 6/25/13 10 48 21, cengles at cox.net writes:


>                  Never had one.  I recall their odd styling very well.
> A fellow Pantera owner inspected one and declared that it was
> essentially a Mustang that had been rebodied and given a slightly
> different interior.   I am sure that Mike Drew has a more detailed
> review. 
> 
>>>That fellow's review was as accurate as if he said that his Pantera was 
essentially a Mustang that had been rebodied and given a slightly different 
interior!

Like the Pantera, the Bigua/Mangusta is a completely unique car; the 
Mustang lends nothing to it except the engine, gearbox, instruments and HVAC 
system, and associated electronics.   The Gandini-penned body was hideous (in my 
view anyway), while the chassis was a brilliant piece of engineering by 
Enrique Scalabroni, the legendary designer of Williams F1 fame.   It was 
probably one of the most advanced and sophisticated chassis/suspension systems of 
any production car of its day.

It's a shame that Gandini beat the car so hard with his ugly stick; the 
concept was brilliant and the execution was, from the people who I have spoken 
to who own and drive them regularly, equally brilliant.   I spoke to one guy 
who uses his as a daily driver and has 80K miles on it; he said it was 
absolutely perfect, had never broken down in any way, and was just a joy to 
drive.

> > I have never seen one at a Fun Rally nor can I recall of an
> owner on this Forum.
> 
>>>Once quietly showed up at the POCA Fun Rally in Reno a few years 
back--or was it at the last Las Vegas rally?   I can't remember now....

Mike