Italian sports car manufacturer De Tomaso is on the comeback trail after financial issues derailed the company in the early 2000s. De Tomaso has introduced the P900 hypercar, one of the few road cars that achieves 1:1 power to weight ratios. It allows the 900 kilogram (1,984-pound) machine to produce 900 horsepower.
The automaker is also passing, at least for now, on the EV future, betting instead on the use of environmentally friendly synthetic fuel in the P900. Only 18 P900s will be built priced at $3M each.
It’s a big step for the producer of the famous Mangusta and Pantera models. The P900 is a bold attempt to refresh De Tomaso’s hypercar standing and is using the shortest and lightest V12 ever produced to power the car and the brand forward. The P900’s 6.5-liter engine weighs a mere 485 pounds when paired with its Xtrac paddle shift sequential gearbox.
Small, light and powerful, this 12,300-rpm engine is among the highest-revving road cars to date and been designed by renowned German specialist supplier Capricorn. The P900 will likely be performance-tested and finalized at the soon-to-open Capricorn Nürburgring Nordschleife facility in the near future. Performance figures are yet to be disclosed, however it is confirmed that the V12 in use will be able to run on carbon-neutral synthetic fuels.
“As a passionate automotive enthusiast, it is difficult for me to accept a silent EV driven future”, said De Tomaso CEO Norman Choi. “We believe that alternatives do exist…synthetic fuels, our solution for keeping this shared passion for the theatre of combustion engines alive. This venture into synthetic fuels, represents our commitment to the pursuit of a zero emissions mobility future without sacrificing the crucial element which we all hold so dear – the soul and symphony of an engine.”
Customers will have to wait until 2024 for the V12-powered supercar. Can’t wait that long? Impatient buyers can have a P900 in their driveway as early as next summer if they opt for a V10-powered version. It’s not just any V10, however. Instead, De Tomaso if offering one produced by former Formula 1 engine supplier Judd. The V10 Judd will build for the P900 is related to that found in the Benetton B197 Formula 1 car.
Styling is just as exuberant as its engineering while maintaining a resemblance to the P900’s predecessor, the P72 grand tourer.
The P900’s party trick, however, is its DRS (drag reduction system) function within its active, swan-neck rear wing that achieves lower aerodynamic drag at high speeds. A more intense styling language has been adapted in the form of a monumental front wing and canards, side skirts, and an intricate series of vents above the front and rear wheel wells. Aerodynamics have been tested heavily at a Formula 1-spec wind tunnel believed to be that of Toyota’s defunct F1 team.
Use of extensive aerodynamic testing and flashy design cues come after De Tomaso has been rumored to soon enter top-tier endurance racing with a Le Mans Hypercar.
Technical specifications are few, and will likely be announced closer to the P900’s production, slated for 2024. Buyers looking to track-day their P900 can also sign up for De Tomaso’s Competizione racing series.
De Tomaso owners signed up for the Competizione series have mechanics, transportation, and storage covered by the automaker and have the ability to drive their car to the limits on track. With 900 horsepower, it’s highly likely that customers will take advantage of these racing classes.
Mason Bloom is a reporter for TheWeeklyDriver.com. When he is not writing about industry news, new car reviews or covering live motorsport events, he is a sophomore at Aptos High School in the California central coast.
Article Last Updated: December 2, 2022.
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A high school student, Mason is a news writer, photographer and reviewer. He specializes in high-performance and exotic vehicles.
