The Pantera had the distinctive look that Italian car designers have evolved, part sculptured elegance and part flash.

ECONOMIST: Alejandro De Tomaso, car maker, died on May 21st, aged 74

The Mangusta also had a Ford engine, and led to the deal under which Ford supplied the Pantera engine, and displayed the car in its American showrooms.

ECONOMIST: Alejandro De Tomaso | The

In 1974 Ford ended the deal because of America's new emission laws, but the Pantera continued to be manufactured and it was sold into the 1990s in other countries.

ECONOMIST: Alejandro De Tomaso, car maker, died on May 21st, aged 74

These days the Pantera has vintage value.

ECONOMIST: Alejandro De Tomaso | The

Thing is, for us (and likely many of you), they last far longer than our clinically-diagnosed Gadget Attention Deficit Disorder would ever tolerate -- but for your dad, your sister, your college buddy with the hand-me-down ZEOS Pantera running Windows 95, or anyone weary of re-upping a two-year commitment, a handset can easily become a serious long-term investment.

ENGADGET: Nielsen stats: a lot of iPhones out there, but also a lot of everything else