Seller Submission: 1983 Longchamp GTS
If you have ever wanted a Mustang with more European flair, then may we recommend a De Tomaso Longchamp? It has a Ford 351 V8 under the hood, independent suspension all around, and a fancy pants interior. Good luck finding one though! Around 400 were produced so they are a rare sight today. This one is even more special because it’s a GTS and that means it has wider rims and some big honking fender flares to keep the rocks down. It also benefits from a few suspension tweaks which turn this luxury cruiser into a canyon carver. It will be sold this weekend at the Motostalgia Auction in Austin, Texas. You can find more info here on the auction site or over on the seller’s page.
With De Tomaso valve covers in place, most people would never know that this thing is Powered by Ford. Some people may prefer a high-strung Italian lump, but personally the lower maintenance bills would make up for any lack of exotic-ness here. This car isn’t in perfect condition, but it looks perfect if you actually plan to drive it.
And if you do drive it, what a pleasure that will be! Look at all that sumptuous leather and wood grain. The automatic shifter is a bit of a let down, but there weren’t very many of these built with manuals anyway. Oh well, it would still be nice to do some long distance touring in this bad boy. Checkout all those switches and the “T” knobs!
If you want something unique and rare that isn’t too outrageously priced (when compared to similar Italians), then a Longchamp may be for you. The American mechanicals should be easy and cheap to keep, but the Italian pedigree will let people know that someone special has arrived. Now, you can have your supercar and drive it too!
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Comments
Have never seen one.Like it .But be better with a 5 speed.
Dang, cool find. It’ll be interesting to see what this brings at auction in this condition. The rear wheel/ tire combo are nearly as wide as the ones on my ’91 ZR-1!
This was on BAT a couple of years ago:
http://bringatrailer.com/2013/01/12/1983-detomaso-longchamp-gts/
Thanks for the link. The banter twixt billy de hulst and optimander was well worth it
A little more research shows that he front wheels are 8×15, and the rears are 10×15. A few cars show up on a google search, this vehicle looks great in red.
With it’s roof line and tail section, it reminds me of a Bitter SC.
Beautiful car. I have never seen or heard of it. Don’t mind the Ford mechanicals but did they have to use the same shifter as all of the Ford econoboxes of that era. Really cheapens the interior!
I knew I recognized that shifter. Same one in my old Ford Capri. Or as we called it, the Ford Crapi.
Pure ’80s folded-paper school of design, in this case a bit more complex and distinctive than most.
I’ve only seen these in car mags and I always wondered how well they were made, how well they go down the road and stand up to use. Anyone with experience?
That’s a nice car, I never seen one before. Love the 351C and has always been a favorite of mine. The shifter sucks and somehow you think building a nice car like that they could have done better. Bet she sounds really good pulling out. Would love to have one but couldn’t afford it though. All and special thanks to PaulG for helping me to jam up my email just a little more with that link bringatrailer for now which im signed up for LOL.
I think that we (my father…I was a teenager) were the original owners of this car. Here is a picture of it being delivered. The thing you don’t get in the photos, and the thing that makes this car far better looking in real life…. This car is wide and low. Even though it looks somewhat boxy, the width/profile screams that this is a supercar… but in a tuxedo. Looking on these blogs, I’ve seen people make comparisons to a SLC, etc. We’ve had a few SLCs, I had a Lotus Esprit S4S, a Testarossa, 560SEC (another beautiful car), a Maserati Biturbo (87). There is no comparison between this and a SLC. It’s a simple car. It doesn’t have German engineering. But NONE of these cars compare in “presence” except maybe the Testarossa. If you’re the owner, email me with any questions.
another pic
and another