ARES Design Project Panther is a modern-day De Tomaso Pantera based on Lamborghini Huracan

In addition to revealing the first images, ARES Design also released new information on its upcoming supercar dubbed as “Project Panther.” The company is aiming for this new model to be a more contemporary version of the De Tomaso Pantera.

De Tomaso Pantera was a mid-engined sports model released between 1971 and 1992. The name comes from the Italian word for “Panther” and was the most popular model of Italy’s De Tomaso company. At least 7,000 units have been released over its 20-year run.

That ARES Design is coming out with its own version of the Pantera is not surprising especially to those who are familiar with its founder and CEO Dany Bahar. Swiss businessman Bahar is well known in the automotive industry for his rather controversial stint as the CEO of Lotus. Bahar had been with Red Bull prior to leading Lotus.

Though the underpinnings of Project Panther are clearly all Lamborghini, the exterior is truly stunning while being distinct on its own. It has retro design elements that are combined with modern flairs. Among the unique features in Project Panther are a small grille on the front and a low engine cover that is clearly clad in carbon fiber. It also has pop-up headlights and the daytime running lights which use LED. Furthermore, Project Panther has the same carbon fiber and aluminum chassis used by the Huracan.

Fitted to this model is the same all-wheel drive system in the Lamborghini Huracan. It is even equipped with the 5.2-liter V12 engine paired to the dual-clutch seven-speed transmission. As such, it is likely to produce 602 hp.

The company revealed that at present, this car will undergo aerodynamic, design, and even crash-test engineering assessment. Sales of this car are expected to begin by the third or fourth quarter of 2018 though the company has yet to announce pricing details.

In a statement, Bahar said that when the company was established in 2014, the goal was to customize the clients’ cars. Since then, he added, the company has made at least 200 customers happy through performance upgrades, bodywork engineering and distinct design elements for both exterior and interior. He continued that through the cutting-edge facility in Modena, the company has managed to go above and beyond the usual customization service. Bahar said further that the company has managed to bring under one roof an amazing team of passionate experts, highly-skilled craftsmen, and new technologies related to engineering and design.

Indeed, ARES Design was created with the goal of giving customers the best when it comes to bespoke luxury automotive engineering and design. In addition to the facility in Modena, the company has a performance showroom based in the Curve Building at Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. While the corporate head office is in Switzerland, ARES also has corporate offices in Los Angeles.