Panther Kallista: Spotted

Where to turn when the usual specialist fare is too common for your taste...

The trouble with a lot of the cars produced by those small specialist British sports car manufacturers, firms such as Caterham, Lotus and Morgan, is that they are a little too common. It must be heartbreaking to splash out on one of those lovingly made machines and then find yourself parked next to another in the car park.

What you need is a Panther. Okay, I know it's winter, and that driving one now will probably cause your face to bleed, but you could buy one cheaply, tuck it away in your garage, and come spring enjoy the soft fragrances of country hedgerows and feel the warmth of the sun raising your spirits as you punt this quirky British delight along your favourite winding back road.

Delight? Well, yes. This Kallista we've found in our classifieds improved upon the Lima it replaced by using Ford mechanicals rather than Vauxhall, and under that long and elegant bonnet is the firm's familiar Cologne 2.8-litre V6 pushrod engine. This, in combination with an aluminium body and a pleasingly low kerb weight, was enough to let the Kallista rip from 0 to 60mph in around 8 seconds. Okay, it has to be admitted the suspension is a little on the crude side, but if you can put up with a bit of bounce and the occasional thump it's still guaranteed fun.

But of course the Kallista majors on its classic 1930s open-top styling, and this one certainly looks the part, with its flowing snout, cute grille, pert rump and wonderfully elegant proportions - dig those stainless steel running boards too!

Inside is an interior of traditional wood and creamy leather opulence, with a rather snug cockpit, cramped footwells and the steering wheel up far too close. There's no boot, as such, because where one would normally be is more or less where you're sitting, but there is a luggage rack, and a small space behind the seats.

I think this one's rather gorgeous, with its luscious red coachwork and its dinky 13-inch wire wheels, and according to the ad it was extensively rebuilt in 2016. There's a comprehensive service history and a low mileage of just 81,000 miles, too, and, if you're coy about age, a personal plate.

Seems to us like a rare and good chance to buy into the breed, or, if you prefer, up the dosh and consider other equally rare Panthers: the Deville looked like an ancient Bugatti and was the size of a bungalow, the Rio was a tarted-up Dolomite and the 6 had six wheels. Yowser!

SPECIFICATION - PANTHER KALLISTA

Engine: 2,792cc, V6
Transmission: 5-speed manual, rear-wheel drive
Power (hp): 152@5,700rpm
Torque (lb ft): 159@4,000rpm
MPG: N/A
CO2: N/A
First reigstered: 1986
Recorded mileage: 81,000miles
Price new: N/A
Yours for: £13,450