Panther Solo (2)
Discussion
Whilst nosing through the classifieds last night, I noticed a Panther Solo for sale.
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/3444944.htm
Now whilst I am not looking to buy one. I do remember (vaguely) the road-tests and magazine features from when they were launched. I was only about 13 at the time and thought. With its 2+2 configuration, 4wd, Sierra Cosworth power and it’s very striking appearance that it was a really good effort.
To be honest this is the first one i have seen for sale and I am surprised that £15.000 picks you one up (I think the particular car advertised could be the Twin Turbo model that went to the Companies Owner in Korea?)
I know that not many were sold (about 25) but I was wondering if anyone had build a really big BHP one, as the Cosworth engine has so much potential for tuning?
And i would love to learn more about these cars, just to feed my curiosity.
Anyone.......?
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/3444944.htm
Now whilst I am not looking to buy one. I do remember (vaguely) the road-tests and magazine features from when they were launched. I was only about 13 at the time and thought. With its 2+2 configuration, 4wd, Sierra Cosworth power and it’s very striking appearance that it was a really good effort.
To be honest this is the first one i have seen for sale and I am surprised that £15.000 picks you one up (I think the particular car advertised could be the Twin Turbo model that went to the Companies Owner in Korea?)
I know that not many were sold (about 25) but I was wondering if anyone had build a really big BHP one, as the Cosworth engine has so much potential for tuning?
And i would love to learn more about these cars, just to feed my curiosity.
Anyone.......?
Certainly very rare indeed and unusual to find one for sale. AFAIK there may have been a Solo 1 and a Solo 2 and it's possible only the Solo 2 made it into production. It was probably very expensive back at the time so £15k now sounds quite reasonable provided overall condition is good - I imagine spares for chassis, body or cabin would be a nightmare.
One high point is the headlamps which simply rotate laterally to expose the lamps. Hard to explain but makes sense when you see it!
Perhaps there should have been a lesson there for Lotus as regards the dangers of trying to sell a mid-engined 2+2. Ferrari Mondial likewise.
One high point is the headlamps which simply rotate laterally to expose the lamps. Hard to explain but makes sense when you see it!
Perhaps there should have been a lesson there for Lotus as regards the dangers of trying to sell a mid-engined 2+2. Ferrari Mondial likewise.
Ozzie.... I think you are correct with the Solo 1 and Solo 2.
Solo 1, I don’t think was 2+2 but only had CVH power and the Mk1 MR2 came out and made obsolete.
Solo 2, Is as advertised.... And from what i can gather only one development car was built with the twin turbo set up? Wonder if this is said car?
Shayne, i was thinking 032, but that car is in (or at least, was in) Korea (Turns out it was a red car that also went to Korea and was owned by the companies owner)
Well, you learn something new every day!
These are the things with the rather unique pop-out headlights that, rather than raising up, turn on their axis to come out?
Interestingly, HowManyLeft reckons there aren't any on the road at the minute, so you'd have to assume that one is either not taxed, or incorrectly registered. Which wouldn't surprise me.
Looks like there are a couple of barn finds there, with a few remaining SORN throughout..
These are the things with the rather unique pop-out headlights that, rather than raising up, turn on their axis to come out?
Interestingly, HowManyLeft reckons there aren't any on the road at the minute, so you'd have to assume that one is either not taxed, or incorrectly registered. Which wouldn't surprise me.
Looks like there are a couple of barn finds there, with a few remaining SORN throughout..
Edited by McSam on Friday 9th December 10:26
Both my mum and step-dad have Panthers, and run the Panther Car Club.
Step dad had a dark green Solo with red interior for a while, mostly in a garage, mushrooms growing in the passenger footwell, that sort of thing, so have never been in it. He sold it a few years ago, so I think there's at least one other...
If you want to find out more about it, I'd get in contact through http://www.panthercarclub.com/
Despite my obvious bias, I have to say that the car club is a very active one full of people that love the cars, and I'm sure if you get in touch they'll give you a whole heap of information on it.
They always have an impressive stand at the NEC Classic Car Show, they won best themed stand this year, and have previously won car of the show (Panther 6) and club personality of the year.
Plug over
Step dad had a dark green Solo with red interior for a while, mostly in a garage, mushrooms growing in the passenger footwell, that sort of thing, so have never been in it. He sold it a few years ago, so I think there's at least one other...
If you want to find out more about it, I'd get in contact through http://www.panthercarclub.com/
Despite my obvious bias, I have to say that the car club is a very active one full of people that love the cars, and I'm sure if you get in touch they'll give you a whole heap of information on it.
They always have an impressive stand at the NEC Classic Car Show, they won best themed stand this year, and have previously won car of the show (Panther 6) and club personality of the year.
Plug over
I've never heard of this, why have I never heard of this?!?!
It looks a little like the younger, less fortunate brother of the XJ220 to me! Granted, a couple of styling tweaks would benefit it I think (perhaps wheels that fill the arches a bit more, or lowering slightly) but I absolutely love that!! Thrown another £5k at that and it would have the makings of an incredibly powerful, lightweight car.
Anyone ever driven one?
It looks a little like the younger, less fortunate brother of the XJ220 to me! Granted, a couple of styling tweaks would benefit it I think (perhaps wheels that fill the arches a bit more, or lowering slightly) but I absolutely love that!! Thrown another £5k at that and it would have the makings of an incredibly powerful, lightweight car.
Anyone ever driven one?
Jonboy_t said:
I've never heard of this, why have I never heard of this?!?!
It looks a little like the younger, less fortunate brother of the XJ220 to me! Granted, a couple of styling tweaks would benefit it I think (perhaps wheels that fill the arches a bit more, or lowering slightly) but I absolutely love that!! Thrown another £5k at that and it would have the makings of an incredibly powerful, lightweight car.
Anyone ever driven one?
By all accounts at the time, it handled exceptionally well, but was simply not powerful enough to match the handling and price.It looks a little like the younger, less fortunate brother of the XJ220 to me! Granted, a couple of styling tweaks would benefit it I think (perhaps wheels that fill the arches a bit more, or lowering slightly) but I absolutely love that!! Thrown another £5k at that and it would have the makings of an incredibly powerful, lightweight car.
Anyone ever driven one?
First Evora perhaps...
There was a thread on these in the Classic cars section a few weeks back:
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
Hi guys, I hope I'll be able to help help out on this topic. I'm fortunate to own one of these weird and (at times) wonderful machines, the metallic light blue, chassis no 22 pictured in the linked post. Although its fair to say that no one seems to know for sure how many Solo 2's were made, best estimates indicate there were 14 sold to the public during its very short life: 12 customer cars, 1 demonstrator (chassis no 15, registered on 1 December 1989 the one currently for sale) and one road test car. Most do very low mileage and nearly 40k miles is certainly high mileage for a Solo, with many having done no more than half this figure and some (two, that I know off which have done less than 1000miles from new).
In answer to the question about upping the power of the Cosworth engine in the Solo significantly, it is most certainly possible but probably not advised as the standard car is very marginal on cooling as Panther decided to take the standard Cossie radiator and put it behind the engine and feed it via a dedicated cooling channel - an ok idea until you realise it is the small one just in front of the near side rear wheel. There is also a small auxiliary radiator that is fed by the equivalent cooling duct on the off side. Even with both ducts clear the car is prone to running hot in stop start traffic - I try and avoid this by driving mine mainly on the twisties.
If anyone has any other questions about the Solo, I'd be more than happy to try and answer them, particularly as I've done a fair bit of work on the chassis, drivetrain, engine and suspension of mine over the last 3 years. Cheers.
In answer to the question about upping the power of the Cosworth engine in the Solo significantly, it is most certainly possible but probably not advised as the standard car is very marginal on cooling as Panther decided to take the standard Cossie radiator and put it behind the engine and feed it via a dedicated cooling channel - an ok idea until you realise it is the small one just in front of the near side rear wheel. There is also a small auxiliary radiator that is fed by the equivalent cooling duct on the off side. Even with both ducts clear the car is prone to running hot in stop start traffic - I try and avoid this by driving mine mainly on the twisties.
If anyone has any other questions about the Solo, I'd be more than happy to try and answer them, particularly as I've done a fair bit of work on the chassis, drivetrain, engine and suspension of mine over the last 3 years. Cheers.
Slowboy said:
Hi The Crack Fox, I own the light blue Solo no 22 not the Tungsten car that is currently up for sale. I have chatted to the previous owner of the Tungsten car and know a bit about it and its history, but have never owned it. Hope this helps.
That's some quality lurking there! 5 posts in 112 months...Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff