Vehicle Description
1997 Panoz AIV Roadster
Estimate: $36,000 - $45,000
Vehicle Identification Number: 1P9A1823VB213033
Decoded: 56=1956; SL=St. Louis, MO assembly plant; 59963=49,963rd ’58 Mercury scheduled for production at St. Louis; M=Mercury line
Engine: 4.6 Liter, 4-Cam modular V8 by Ford
Electronic Fuel Injection/305 bhp
5-Speed Borg-Warner T45 5-speed Manual Transmission
Power Assisted Four Wheel Hydraulic Disc Brakes
Odometer: 9,440 miles
Highly Sought After
Cutting Edge Technology
Beautiful Proportions and Design
The Model –When Panoz released the AIV (Aluminum Intensive Vehicle), it was a performance roadster ahead of its time. Using an all-aluminum spaceframe chassis, it provided a superb power-to-weight ratio, combined with a hand-built 4-can 4.6 Liter, Ford-SVT V8 that had been hand-assembled and pumping out a rock solid 305 HP, which worked out to just 8.4 lbs per horsepower. Additional features include the carbon fiber trim with leather used for the seats plus the wrapped steering wheel and white-face instruments in the dash. Handling came directly for Ford’s Mustang Cobra program with coil-over suspension, disc brakes on all four corners, with Roush supplied 18” 5-spoke alloy wheels. Over its three years in production just 176 AIV roadsters were produced by Panoz, with these cars so adored by their owners that it is rare occasion to have one come to auction.
The Car – This beautifully presented AIV from Panoz is one of just 49 units produced for the 1997 model year, and one of only three finished in deep rich blue metallic. Accented with the full leather interior in light tan, this roadster has been well maintained from new. Driving this Panoz is like a dream and during out test run everything seemed to be in good working order, with all gauges functioning as well as the Fujitsu Eclipse stereo/CD sound system. Under the hood is spotless and the engine still has the label bearing the signatures of the two skilled technicians that hand-assembled that potent SVT 4.6 Liter 4-cam V8. Protect from the day it was built and presented here in Watkins Glen is your opportunity to own one of the most influential performance vehicles from the 1990’s, your very own AIV from Panoz.
