Spied: DeTomaso SLC Concept

We have already seen teaser images of DeTomaso’s first new offering in roughly a decade, and now the car is starting to come out into the light thanks to an early leak. These photos of the all-new DeTomaso were reportedly snapped while the car was being shown to Italian politicians prior to its world debut at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show.

Supercars — particularly those like the old Mangusta and Pantera — aren’t exactly profitable ventures, so we’re not too surprised to see the new DeTomaso craft a crossover-style vehicle along the lines of the BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo. Designed by Pininfarina, the five-door’s shape isn’t exactly knocking our socks off, but it seems to be a solid design overall.

The SLC’s interior appointments look to be luxurious enough, with most surfaces trimmed in stitched leather. In a historic twist, DeTomaso has apparently raided the General Motors parts bins for some components. A number of elements within the cabin — including the gauge cluster, dashboard, and front door panels — appear to have been culled from the current Cadillac SRX. Whether this is indicative of a complete SRX re-skin or simply parts sharing remains to be seen.

Although currently billed as a concept, the SLC is destined for production. DeTomaso says engine offerings will include an as-yet-unspecified engine lineup including a 296-horsepower V-6, along with a 247-horsepower turbodiesel six-cylinder and a 524-horsepower V-8. Production is scheduled to begin next year, and the company hopes to build some 3000 examples a year at roughly $115,000 a pop.

Despite seeing the SLC in its entirety for the first time, there’s still quite a bit of mystery surrounding the car. Various reports — many of which are crudely translated from Italian — are offering conflicting bits of information, and DeTomaso itself isn’t revealing any further details until the SLC’s Geneva debut. We’re eager to find out exactly what lies beneath the sheetmetal, but we’re more interested to hear details of another project, which could birth a two-door sports coupe. Is a true Pantera/Mangusta successor in the cards?

Thanks to: Motor Trend