This 1969 Detomaso Mangusta Is An Italian Automotive Dream 

You’re in luck if you love sleek, stylish Italian sports cars from the 1960s. Bidding for a pristine 1969 Detomaso Mangusta is open until Saturday, May 25, on bringatrailer.com. According to the listing on their website, this Detomaso Mangusta sports an impressive pedigree, having won numerous awards and honors over the years, such as the People’s Choice Award at the 2012 La Jolla Concours d’Elegance. The current bid on the Detomaso Mangusta is at $151,000. A California dealership is offering it through consignment with a Washington title. 

This Detomaso Mangusta’s Background

It’s not uncommon for iconic Italian sports cars to change owners over the years, and this 1969  Detomaso Mangusta is no exception. According to bringatrailer.com, Italian automaker Detomaso produced around 400 Mangusta models during the four years the car was in production. The original owner of the 1969 model, which is currently up for auction, first bought it in Los Angeles, California, in 1977. 

Chuck Wray, the founder of automotive restoration company Grand Touring Enterprises, later added it to his collection in the 2000s, according to bringatrailer.com. A California resident commissioned a refurbishment of the 1969 Detomaso Mangusta, giving it a new paint job and interior trim after purchasing it in 2010. Its current owner bought it in 2013. It’s great to know that the Detomaso Mangusta’s previous owners have taken great care of it.      

It’s An Award Winner 

According to bringatrailer.com, this 1969 Detomaso Mangusta has been on an impressive, award-winning run over the past decade. After receiving the People’s Choice Award at the 2012 La Jolla Concours d’Elegance, the Detomaso Mangusta won the Junior Judges Award at the 2014 Pacific Northwest Concours d’Elegance. 

Recognizing that they had a crown jewel of a car on their hands, the Detomaso Mangusta’s current owner was eager to get it in front of car enthusiasts at venues such as LeMay – America’s Car Museum in Tacoma, Washington, where it has been on display twice. 2013, its owner also displayed the Detomaso Mangusta at the 2013 ArtCenter College of Design Car Classic. This 1969 Detomaso Mangusta also served as the poster car for the 2023 Avants Classics on the Green in Woodinville, Washington. 

Sporty Features

Italian sports cars are known for their powerful engines. Don’t let the Detomaso Mangusta’s moniker fool you, though; it’s not rocking the legendary 60s-era mechanical wizardry of Ferrari or Lamborghini under its hood. While its exterior is unmistakably Italian, its revving heart is American. 

A 302ci Ford V8 engine powers the 1969 Detomaso Mangusta. As one would expect of a classic car like this, it comes with a ZF five-speed manual transmission. It also sports power-assisted disc brakes and coilover independent suspension, according to bringatrailer.com. 

Of course, slick 60s-era sports cars must ride on a stylish set of wheels, which this 1969 Detomaso Mangusta does. Its 15″ Campagnolo alloy wheels ride on BFGoodrich Radial T/A tires, with the front set measuring 205/60R15 while the back ones measure 275/60R15, according to bringatrailer.com. The Detomaso Mangusta also has fixed quad headlights, air conditioning, power windows, and four-point harnesses.

Mangusta Development History  

The Detomaso Mangusta has a fascinating origin story. According to bringatrailer.com, the Mangusta’s inception came from an ill-fated partnership between automotive icons Alejandro de Tomaso and Carroll Shelby, whom Matt Damon memorably portrayed in 2019’s excellent Ford v Ferrari. 

However, unlike that triumphant story, Shelby ultimately backed out of his collaboration with de Tomaso before they could complete their project. That project resulted in the P70 prototype, which de Tomaso used as the inspiration for his company’s second production car. 

Giorgetto Giugiaro of Ghia then designed the car’s bodywork, which de Tomaso put over the vehicle’s backbone chassis. According to bringatrailer.com, de Tomaso drew inspiration from the fierce Mongoose, a known predator of cobra snakes, for the vehicle’s name, the Mangusta. De Tomaso debuted the Mangusta at the 1966 Turin Motor Show, commencing production in 1967.

It’s Undergone Some Refurbishment    

According to bringatrailer.com, this 1969 Detomaso Mangusta’s paint job underwent a significant change when its owner refurbished it over a decade ago. Initially, the Detomaso Mangusta had a vibrant red paint coat before its owner changed it to its current sleek, steely shade of silver. 

The current owner also re-trimmed the Detomaso Mangusta’s interior around that same time, giving the coupes’ bucket seats a tan leather finish. Its door panels, rear bulkhead, dash, and center tunnel all feature this same upholstery. 

According to bringatrailer.com, this Detomaso Mangusta has around 24k miles on it, 4k of which the car’s current owner drove. They cite some light wear and tear on the vehicle, creasing on sections of the seat upholstery, and some chips and stress cracks on the finish adjacent to the windshield corners.