Retrofuturism Meets Italian Muscle: Daniel Crane's Cyberpunk Pantera

The 1971-75 DeTomaso Pantera is more than just a car; it's a legendary masterpiece of Italian automotive design. Sure, it's not as prestigious as the Testarossa or Countach, but does it matter when it looks so good?

Not as prestigious? Sure. Just as aesthetically pleasing as the more obvious Italian output at the time? Absolutely. Even lovable orangutan Jeremy Clarkson is particularly keen on its raucous V8 exhaust note and supercar simplicity.

The Pantera's blend of stunning aesthetics and raw power makes it a timeless favourite in the world of classic cars. And perhaps that's why it caught the eye of 3D and motion designer, Daniel Crane.

He envisions this classic design revamped with the bold, futuristic style of 1980s cyberpunk.

While not obvious to most, the original '71 Pantera's bold, unapologetic forms set the benchmark for future models, thanks to visionary designer Tom Tjaarda. The GT5, released in 1980, took the styling to an extreme level, which is likely the basis for Crane's version.

And what a version it is.

Crane employed brutal geometric shapes and exposed mechanical elements to transform the sleek Italian GT into something that genuinely could be mistaken for a vehicle lifted straight from the streets of Cyberpunk 2077.

Those iconic shapes and styling cues from the GT5 remain, but the detailing is a more exaggerated and almost cartoonish extravagance.

Yeah, this Cyberpunk-influenced approach would blend right in at Night City.

Taking cues from the industrial sci-fi car builds of Ash Thorp and Carlos Pecino AKA Colorsponge, Crane extended the Pantera's wheel fenders with massively oversized flares.

Smaller cosmetic details were stripped away, leaving just the crisp lines and geometric forms. A menacing monochrome black paint covers the entire car, giving it a stealthy, robotic look.

Every surface was meticulously modelled from scratch in Blender based on reference photos of the original Pantera.

The result is a retro-futuristic vision that blends the Pantera's iconic 70s styling with modern cyberpunk aesthetics. It's a highly stylised interpretation that remains unmistakably rooted in the classic DeTomaso design but now packs a far more aggressive and mechanically enhanced presence.

This is an Italian exotic reborn as a dystopian back-alley nightmare - and it looks utterly at home patrolling the rain-soaked, neon-drenched streets of Night City.

You can check out more of Daniel Crane's incredible work over at his Behance site.