Supercars Spotted Thread

Supercars Spotted Thread

Author
Discussion

rat rod

4,997 posts

71 months

Monday 21st March 2022
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joshcowin said:
I love the lfa and think it looks great. I actually think the pantera has aged terribly, it just looks like a kit car now. There is something not quite right with the windscreen angle and the rear quarter window is odd.
Really, considering the Pantera first showed it's face in 1971 i think it's design was way ahead of it's time

which still drops jaws even today with or without the flares and wing, yikes

The LFA is a pleasant looking car but a super car should be WOW looking not just pleasant yes

Each to their own ,in our eyes we are both right.:scratchchin:




Edited by rat rod on Monday 21st March 21:08

joshcowin

6,911 posts

182 months

Monday 21st March 2022
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rat rod said:
Really, considering the Pantera first showed it's face in 1971 i think it's design was way ahead of it's time

which still drops jaws even today with or without the flares and wing, yikes

The LFA is a pleasant looking car but a super car should be WOW looking not just pleasant yes

Each to their own ,in our eyes we are both right.scratchchin


Edited by rat rod on Monday 21st March 21:06
As you say there is no right and wrong!

I agree the simple panteras are the best looking, I dislike the flared arches and big wings. Still they have not aged that well imo, the lexus may age even worse of course we will have to wait 30+ years to find out!



tberg

616 posts

67 months

Tuesday 22nd March 2022
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When I went shopping for a Pantera 25 years ago, I specifically looked for an early Pre L car as I didn't like the flared fendered, Countach winged cars that in my opinion, destroyed the sensuous, svelte design of the original. It's interesting that you find that the Pantera design hasn't aged well. Every Sunday I attend car meetups here in Los Angeles where there might be 500-1000 super and hypercars in attendance including one two weekends ago at a Lamborghini-Aston Martin dealership. My stock bodied Pantera always garners a crowd and the most typical remark is it still looks so contemporary. Very few people believe that it was built 51 years ago. Unfortunately, most new supercar designers feel that they need to have "elephant" ear scoops on their flanks big enough to cook a turkey and bypassing the sleekness of vintage sports cars.

joshcowin

6,911 posts

182 months

Tuesday 22nd March 2022
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tberg said:
When I went shopping for a Pantera 25 years ago, I specifically looked for an early Pre L car as I didn't like the flared fendered, Countach winged cars that in my opinion, destroyed the sensuous, svelte design of the original. It's interesting that you find that the Pantera design hasn't aged well. Every Sunday I attend car meetups here in Los Angeles where there might be 500-1000 super and hypercars in attendance including one two weekends ago at a Lamborghini-Aston Martin dealership. My stock bodied Pantera always garners a crowd and the most typical remark is it still looks so contemporary. Very few people believe that it was built 51 years ago. Unfortunately, most new supercar designers feel that they need to have "elephant" ear scoops on their flanks big enough to cook a turkey and bypassing the sleekness of vintage sports cars.
This is a better angle undoubtedly, those wheels are amazing btw!

jwdh1

270 posts

115 months

Friday 25th March 2022
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there's an absolutely beautiful metallic green Ferrari 275GTB, cruising around Harrogate at the moment, seen it twice but unable to take a snap as driving! Lovely looking thing :-)

matlotus

117 posts

102 months

Friday 25th March 2022
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Opposite Newcastle Central Station this afternoon


matlotus

117 posts

102 months

Friday 25th March 2022
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Opposite Newcastle Central Station this afternoon


Penrhyn

721 posts

104 months

Friday 25th March 2022
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. I’m aware that Tberg has had major work to make the Pantera more reliable , a beautiful timeless motor smile

tberg

616 posts

67 months

Saturday 26th March 2022
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Penrhyn,
You're absolutely right. I essentially gave up driving the Pantera because it had so many issues and was so unreliable that just the thought of trying to start it made me cringe. And especially when in early 2013 I bought my 5.0L XKR which was so enjoyable, so easy to drive at pace, so comfortable, and so absolutely reliable that I just gave up. Ultimately, because of how good the Jag was it made me make the decision to make the Pantera a better car that I could enjoy. The design of the Pantera and its aesthetics was never in question. it is still imho one of the greatest automotive designs ever. From any angle it is aggressive yet sensual. What other supercar of this petite size can fit two golf bags and clubs in its trunk? The real problem with the Pantera was that it went from an idea to showrooms in under a year, and development on the early cars was incomplete. During the four years that it was being modified and restored, we dealt with the overheating issues, the starting issues, the notchy shifting of the ZF gated 5 spd., comfort issues and a few other problems. In addition, we added higher performance calipers, bigger wheels to accomodate them, a 500+hp engine, headers, new exhaust, new body hugging seats, all leather interior including the dash, but we left the stock body exactly as it had been born except for the 2 tone paint whose idea came from a friend's Ferrari 512 bbi. Now that it's sorted, I drive it every single weekend and it's a joy not to have to worry about it breaking down or overheating. As I previously said in an earlier post on this thread, I detest the giant side scoops that every supercar manufacturer seems to think makes the car look more aggressive (and therefore more sellable at high prices). I guess being older, I prefer sensuous smooth shaped sports cars. Look at an early E-type, or even a Miura, or a Dino. Compare those shapes and the design language to an Aventador. I'd take any of the aforementioned cars before any modern day Lambo. When you think about the fact that the Pantera debuted in 1970, it had to look like a spaceship had descended from outerspace, there was nothing like it at the time including the earlier Miura. The fact that it still looks contemporary when parked among cars 50 years newer is testament to Tom Tjaarda's brilliant design. And now that I can enjoy it, with little worry, it's icing on the cake.



Edited by tberg on Saturday 26th March 03:29


Edited by tberg on Thursday 6th April 02:06

joshcowin

6,911 posts

182 months

Saturday 26th March 2022
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Do you have a thread on it you clearly love it and love talking about it, so would I if I had done what you have!

Looks cool in that photo btw

trackdemon

12,290 posts

267 months

Sunday 27th March 2022
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tberg said:
Penrhyn,
You're absolutely right. I essentially gave up driving the Pantera because it had so many issues and was so unreliable that just the thought of trying to start it made me cringe. And especially when in early 2013 I bought my 5.0L XKR which was so enjoyable, so easy to drive at pace, so comfortable, and so absolutely reliable that I just gave up. Ultimately, because of how good the Jag was it made me make the decision to make the Pantera a better car that I could enjoy. The design of the Pantera and its aesthetics was never in question. it is still imho one of the greatest automotive designs ever. From any angle it is aggressive yet sensual. What other supercar of this petite size can fit two golf bags and clubs in its trunk? The real problem with the Pantera was that it went from an idea to showrooms in under a year, and development on the early cars was incomplete. During the four years that it was being modified and restored, we dealt with the overheating issues, the starting issues, the notchy shifting of the ZF gated 5 spd., comfort issues and a few other problems. In addition, we added higher performance calipers, bigger wheels to accomodate them, a 500+hp engine, headers, new exhaust, new body hugging seats, all leather interior including the dash, but we left the stock body exactly as it had bee born except for the 2 tone paint whose idea came from a friend's Ferrari 512 bbi. Now that it's sorted, I drive it every single weekend and it's a joy not to have to worry about it breaking down or overheating. As I previously said in an earlier post on this thread, I detest the giant side scoops that every supercar manufacturer seems to think makes the car look more aggressive (and therefore more sellable at high prices). I guess being older, I prefer sensuous smooth shaped sports cars. Look at an early E-type, or even a Miura, or a Dino. Compare those shapes and the design language to an Aventador. I'd take any of the aforementioned cars before any modern day Lambo. When you think about the fact that the Pantera debuted in 1970, it had to look like a spaceship had descended from outerspace, there was nothing like it at the time including the earlier Miura. The fact that it still looks contemporary when parked among cars 50 years newer is testament to Tom Tjaarda's brilliant design. And now that I can enjoy it, with little worry, it's icing on the cake.



Edited by tberg on Saturday 26th March 03:29
Your Pantera sounds fantastic (as a story, I'm sure it makes a great noise too!). How does it handle?

tberg

616 posts

67 months

Monday 28th March 2022
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trackdemon,
When we rebuilt the car we added big bore headers and new exhaust so that Pantera is quite loud in a very deep gutteral way, not a high whiny sound like newer supercars. The car's handling is very flat since the car is so low, but without power steering, recovery on very tight turns is not easy on my 69 year old body. A friend who also has a Pantera added an after market electric power steering pump to his and it's quite good. It may be the next modification I do. But as I've said, it's the first time in over 20 years of ownership that I can drive it reliably and without worry, and I'm just enjoying that. Tremendous noise from inches behind your head, incredible torque in any gear, exceptional beauty, it's just finally fun!

Edited by tberg on Monday 28th March 19:14


Edited by tberg on Tuesday 29th March 03:05

Soleith

522 posts

95 months

Friday 12th August 2022
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Few pics from the HR Owen West country tour this week.

z4RRSchris

11,490 posts

185 months

Friday 28th October 2022
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this count?


tony993

357 posts

221 months

Thursday 23rd March 2023
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Oh yes. Black GMA T50 on the M25 about half an hour ago. It sounded very nice (my friend was along side & called me so I could hear it via his phone).

A993LAD

1,737 posts

227 months

Friday 24th March 2023
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Spotted this Gordon Murray T50 on the M25 yesterday evening.

I'm not sure if I owned one of these I would be taking it out on a gloomy evening in the pissing rain and shunting it in stop start traffic for mile after mile behind a red Fiat Picanto.

It sounded fantastic but it seemed like a bit of a handful to drive in heavy traffic unless he was revving it like that to impress everyone. But I don't think he was I think he was just doing that because that was the best way to drive it in the conditions.

tberg

616 posts

67 months

Sunday 26th March 2023
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I went to a Ferrari meetup at the Peterson Auto Museum in Los Angeles a couple of weeks ago with a big turnout of Ferraris. Red was obviously the most popular color.



Also went this morning to a car meetup near Pasadena, California and 11 De Tomaso Panteras showed up, quite a site parked next to each other. It was a very loud gathering to say the least.


Oldwolf

969 posts

199 months

Friday 14th April 2023
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No pic as was driving but saw a GMA T.50 (Prototype 3 according to the stickers).

It was stopped at the side of the road, presumably on the way to Goodwood Members Meeting, but I turned round and it had gone.

hungry_hog

2,393 posts

194 months

Sunday 9th July 2023
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a load of Ferraris outside the Mayfair hotel (Stratton St) few 298, SF90 and Pista. And one Aventador I think

Any event going on or the equivalent of seeing 4 Ford Fiestas in Basildon?

sleepezy

1,925 posts

240 months

Saturday 10th February
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F40 pootling around a small village in South Cambs, as usual...