Thursday 12th November 2015

Panoz Esperante lives!

The first roadgoing GTR-1 has been restored by Panoz, on show in Dubai

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Hopefully you can understand that this Panoz Esperante story was never going to be about simply the restoration of the first GTR-1 road car. Through just a few clicks you're deep into the realms of 90s sportscar racing stories, of rule manipulation, cars not being built, failed Le Mans ambition and more. That and some incredible vehicles, including the Venturi 600LM, Lotus Elise GT1, Toyota GT-One, Nissan R390...

There's was a hybrid once too. This isn't!

Anyway, to the Esperante. This is the original road legal GTR-1 produced by Panoz, a car not at all close to the regular Esperante. Much like the CLK-GTR and 911 GT1, the need to win at Le Mans was far more important than tangible production car links. It was powered by a 600hp Ford V8, weighed 898kg and with power sent to the rear wheels by a six-speed ZF transaxle gearbox. The interior may look like any other sports car, but with the front off it's clear this is a thinly disguised motorsport car.

It's been at Panoz HQ since its build, now freshly restored after six months of hard work. Predictably enough they're quite keen to keep hold of it, but can build you another GTR-1. Using the original moulds, Panoz "can create either a near-exact carbon fiber [sic] replica or a modified version using alternate composites and lightweight technologies."

For those lacking the $890,000 being asked for a GTR-1 recreation though, Panoz is also resurrecting the "ultra-exclusive 25th Anniversary Edition Esperante Spyder GT". A little less exciting than the Le Mans homologation car but one to send fans of 90s supercar curios wild. It has 560hp, a six-speed manual, a superformed aluminium body and a price from $179,120. There will only be 25 but there aren't any images accompanying the release. Funny that.

Should you have enough money for this car (surely Panoz has a price for this) or another Esperante, Panoz is at the Dubai Motor show, Booth #277, Hall ZAB2. There's little danger of seeing another at the track day...

[justboxsters]

That, and all other panoz cars, are FUGLY

[Hatchoo]

Unusual for a car to be aesthetically improved by removing all the front bodywork.

[vz-r_dave]

Regardless of how it looks, I love it and I love what it stood for back when Le Mans wasn't full of ste diesels and hybrids. The sound they made was better than the vette's of today!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U86lf-LRXiE have a listen 1:50 onwards is brilliant.

[patmahe]

justboxsters said:

That, and all other panoz cars, are FUGLY

Maybe so, but this one is purposefully fugly so in a weird way its so ugly its beautiful.

[smilo996]

Diversity good. Makes a change from seeing VW Motorsport cars.

Looks like some of the features were the inspiration for the Batmobile.

Quite like it apart from the babyfood coloured interior.

[Digga]

vz-r_dave said:

Regardless of how it looks, I love it and I love what it stood for back when Le Mans wasn't full of ste diesels and hybrids. The sound they made was better than the vette's of today!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U86lf-LRXiE have a listen 1:50 onwards is brilliant.

^This. Early noughties LMP1 was greatly enlivened by their participation.

FWIW, that bass (having camped in Houx Annexe and spectated at various points around the circuit when they were running) captures about 10% of the bass of that engine. Zorsts the diameter of old dustbins.

[McAndy]

Any excuse for some 90s GT car photos:

[K666ADM]

Was at the show yesterday, can't say it was a pretty thing and to be honest, the Panoz stand was not exactly great. Sure the fans of the name will be pleased but was easy to skip by on the way to some impressive stuff. Good show this year.

[unsprung]

the word "peculiar" must be very dear to management or to the brand's USP

[anonymous-user]

Hatchoo said:

Unusual for a car to be aesthetically improved by removing all the front bodywork.

[vz-r_dave]

K666ADM said:

Was at the show yesterday, can't say it was a pretty thing and to be honest, the Panoz stand was not exactly great. Sure the fans of the name will be pleased but was easy to skip by on the way to some impressive stuff. Good show this year.

Why would it not please any petrol head? Any manufacturer that was able to put their car on a Le Mans grid in my eyes is impressive. Even more so due to the size of Panoz in comparison to their competitors. I appreciate beautiful car's but care more about what's underneath than the aesthetics.

[ph1l5]

I love it, even more now that people don't like it. It goes on my lottery wish list

[Graham]

The mid to late 90's were the height of the GT1 GT cars and were a fantastic sight and noise in the case of the Panoz.

I was lucky enough to see them race at Le Mans and Daytona.

you didnt so much hear the noise the panoz made as felt it !!!

The modern diesel prototypes have none of the sole or the noise of the proper GT cars.

Panoz GT1, Viper GT1, Lister storm and the earlier Mclaren ft gtrlm were fantastic The Porsche and merc were also great but moved the game on and eventually killed it off

and a notable mention must go to the Ferrari 333sp not a GT an open Prototype but a fantastic noise

[Truckosaurus]

Lest we forget, the Panoz LMP1 (the open topped one) was the only car to win a race against the dominant Audi R8 around the turn of the century.

[300bhp/ton]

I like it. Looks like it should be in a Comic book or something.

[wtdoom]

Amazing . Road car based on a proper Le Mans car . Such a gorgeous interior , reasonable price , beautiful looks , how do companies like this go bust ?

[McAndy]

Truckosaurus said:

Lest we forget, the Panoz LMP1 (the open topped one) was the only car to win a race against the dominant Audi R8 around the turn of the century.

1999 Petit le Mans?

[Jimmy Recard]

It's brilliant. I saw one at Spa in 2004 (owned by Noel Edmonds, I think) and it was by far the loudest thing there. You couldn't hear anything of the Pescarolos or Audi R8s and the others when that Panoz was anywhere near.

[kambites]

Almost 700bhp/tonne and everyone who sees it will assume it's a crappy kit car. Sounds highly amusing.

[F1GTRUeno]

I wonder if this is the reflex purple one restored to it's original colour or the earlier car (the blue one pictured that I'm sure was repainted to this colour).