Vehicle Description
Asking a car enthusiast about their dream car is always a risky
proposition. Some won't hesitate to gravitate toward one particular
model, but most will respond with a barrage of questions. What era?
What country of origin? What price range? In reality, choosing
favorites is becoming an increasing complex topic. That said, one
thing is for sure: start asking about fun track cars and you'll
eventually end up talking about Panoz. When it comes to blending
power, customization and pure athleticism, few automakers can do it
better. And this AIV Roadster, one of only 10 Panoz 10th
Anniversary cars ever produced, is an uncompromising offering that
surely trumps any of the aforementioned qualifiers. Never titled,
meticulously maintained, and driven just 393 miles, this
lightweight super star is barely broken in. And if you have
fantasies of enjoying a modern take on coveted analog driving
characteristics, it's the intense classic you crave!
PANOZ: THE DREAM BECOMES REALITY
Instantly identifiable by its cycle-like fenders, sinuous profile
and sophisticated V8 roar, the Panoz Roadster is an all-American
custom that essentially launched the Panoz brand. Back in 1988,
Daniel Panoz had a dream of creating a line of hand-built sports
cars that would champion superior driving dynamics while being
reasonably easy to maintain. Fortunately, Daniel's vision just
happened to coincide with the closure of an Irish outfit that
produced a car called the TMC Costin - a roadster designed by
prolific automotive engineer Frank Costin of Lotus and Cosworth
fame. Seeing the merit in Costin's chassis, Daniel quickly acquired
the rights to TMC's design. He figured he could work the car into a
focused, lightweight track specialty that hardcore driving
enthusiasts would covet. In traditional American fashion, and with
the help of TMC chassis engineer Mick Murphy, Daniel began
re-engineering the platform to swap its tidy Ford 4-cylinder for a
raucous Ford V8. Not surprisingly, the reimagined chassis took to
TMC's original body like oil takes to water, so Daniel hired
Freeman Thomas, a designer now known for car's like the VW Beetle
and Audi TT, to draw up some fresh digs. It wasn't long until Panoz
was an official company, and Daniel and a handful of employees
started hand-assembling cars in a shed... Yes, their facility was
literally a former Georgia D.O.T. salt storage shed that was
located on the outskirts of Atlanta. So, was the first Panoz
Roadster, a car fitted with a stainless steel space frame, a Tremec
T5 5-speed and a proven Windsor V8, worth considering? Absolutely!
Especially since all that high-limit, American-style performance
had been shoehorned into a car that was smaller than a Miata, cost
less than a Corvette and could be easily serviced at your local
Ford dealer. But, Daniel Panoz wasn't done yet. He had big plans to
move his company from a sideshow attraction to the Main Stage!
Enter the Panoz AIV Roadster, aptly named because it was America's
first Aluminum Intensive Vehicle. Joining forces with engineers
from Alcan and Alumax, Panoz had developed a roadster that
consisted of approximately 70% aluminum construction. Additionally,
the firm had adopted the best off-the-shelve components from Ford's
new at the time SN95 Mustang and increased the size of the
roadster's cockpit for a more comfortable driving experience. All
the sudden, 'the dude with the shed in Atlanta' was producing cars
that ran with, and often bested, the most impressive sports cars
and exotics the world had to offer!
SUPER FORM
Sporting a superformed aluminum body, this sleek roadster certainly
grabs attention. It's no secret that the car borrows heavily from
Lotus's legendary Seven, especially since the TMC Costin was
essentially a Seven knock-off. But, like the rest of the concept,
its appearance has been heavily Americanized. Up front, polished
overriders lead a contoured Bull Bar, which floats between polished
headlights, amber parking lamps and Prowler-like cycle fenders.
Between those fenders, a "Panoz" branded hood bends a prominent
scoop around the car's big engine while a traditionally vertical
windshield anchors optional wings beneath a Navy, 10th
Anniversary-exclusive top. Opposite that top, an organic and
muscular profile centers small doors behind tinted mirrors and mesh
heat extractors. At the back of that Morgan-esque mug, Cobra-esque
haunches plant tubbed fenders at the sides of a chrome-trimmed
trunk and a second Bull Bar that's complete with more polished
overriders. And everything is enhanced by 10th
Anniversary-exclusive Titanium 2-stage that's right at home
reflecting a curvy road or a summertime car show!
CORE STRENGTH
At the track, the Panoz Roadster was already so spry that it didn't
even need sway bars, so the primary focus of the AIV update was
transforming 'good' into 'best'. That translated to swapping the
car's proven steel chassis for an extruded aluminum space frame
that featured steel subframes. The new chassis stretched the car's
wheelbase an additional six inches, but it still measures in at
roughly the same overall length as a Mazda Miata. The front
suspension, predictably independent, centers the Mustang Cobra's
fluid power rack-and-pinion steering between polished control arms
and Penske coil-over-shocks. The rear suspension, a Ford 8.8-inch
solid axle set-up under the Roadster, was switched to a 1990s Ford
Thunderbird independent set-up for the AIV. Stab the throttle and
power spins through a Ford-sourced Tremec T45 5-speed. Step on the
other pedal and you'll encounter power-assisted Mustang Cobra
calipers, which squeeze a combination of 10 and 13-inch Mustang
Cobra rotors. Emissions-compliant exhaust bellows through
glasspack-style mufflers and polished stainless tips. And
everything rolls on chromed BBS alloys, which crank 10th
Anniversary center caps inside two 245/40ZR18 BF Goodrich g-Force
T/As and two 295/35ZR18 BF Goodrich g-Force T/As.
POWER
Did we hear someone say "power"? Oh, there's power... LOTS of
power! The original Panoz Roadster did well with Ford's proven
Windsor 302. The engine was quick, reliable and easily serviceable.
However, in light of a new chassis the focus was to reduce weight
and increase performance, it seemed only logical to find more
power. With that in mind, Ford's 4.6 liter DOHC Mod Motor, best
known as the heart of SVT's incredible Mustang Cobra, was the
perfect fit. All-aluminum and professionally hand assembled, the
32-valve mill mixes tumble-style heads with aggressive cam profiles
to twist a stout 305 horsepower into an even 300 lb./ft. of torque.
Like all modern Ford eights, the lightweight champ ramps up in a
smooth rush. In addition to professionally polished cam covers and
fuel injection plenums, the V8 features a virtually perfect OEM
appearance that looks as classic as it is technical. The compact
engine bay is exceptionally clean, with nothing out of place and no
signs of significant wear. And from a quality standpoint, Cobra
wiring joins a Cobra ECU to mix OEM-level reliability with the
spirited idle that Ford pony cars have made famous.
IMPROVED INTERIOR
Extending the wheelbase of the car had a very positive effect on
comfort and livability. Track-focused roadsters are purpose-built
for short drives, and this 10th Anniversary AIV certainly makes the
best of that time. Front and center, French-stitched seats feature
taut Navy leather. In front of those mitts, a French-stitched dash
wraps more Navy leather around Mustang Cobra telemetry and Mustang
Cobra air conditioning. That billet-tinged air, and those carbon
fiber-seated gauges, shade modern Alpine audi...for more
information please contact the seller.
