Last time we heard anything about Panoz->ke67, the Georgia-based company was busy working on the 2014 DeltaWing Coupe program following Nissan's withdrawal.
For those of you who are not familiar with the marque, Panoz manufactured a number of competitive race cars->ke148, such as the Esperante->ke1259 GTR-1 and its successors and the LMP-1, but also rolled out some limited-run, road-going sports cars->ke506 as well. Dubbed Abruzzi, the most recent of them all was unveiled four years ago.
Despite this long hiatus, the American automaker hasn't given up on building road cars, and it has now resurfaced to introduce the 25th Anniversary Edition Esperante Spyder. As the name suggests, the new vehicle was built to celebrate Panoz' first quarter of a century in the business and represents an update to the manufacturer's notorious Esperante->ke1259 model.
Aiming to deliver "pure sports car performance and reflect the Panoz Le Mans->ke1591 endurance racing and performance ethos," the 25th Anniversary Esperante Spyder is built on a modular extruded aluminum chassis and its lightweight structure is made out of carbon fiber and aluminum.
Although it's based on the original hand-built Esperante, the new sports car->ke506 has received a redesigned fully independent suspension, a performance anti-lock brake system and BBS wheels wrapped in Michelin->ke3298 Pilot Super Sport ultra high-performance tires.
The Anniversary Edition Esperante will go on sale with two different bodies. The standard Spyder will sport a "super formed" aluminum body made through a process developed for aerospace applications, while the Spyder GT will feature carbon body panels constructed by Elan Composites, Panoz' partner from the DeltaWing program.
Click past the jump to read more about the Panoz Esperante Spyder 25th Anniversary Edition.
2014 Panoz Esperante Spyder 25th Anniversary Edition
- Make: Array
- Model: 2014 Panoz Esperante Spyder 25th Anniversary Edition
- Engine/Motor: V8
- Horsepower: 575
- Transmission: six-speed manual
- [do not use] Vehicle Model: Array
Panoz Esperante Spyder 25th Anniversary Edition in Detail
Customers will be able to choose between two powerplants for each model. The Spyder will get a standard 5.0-liter V-8 rated at 430 horsepower and an optional supercharged 5.4-liter V-8 that generates 575 horsepower . Both will be paired to either a Tremec T56 Magnum six-speed manual or six-speed automatic with paddle shifters.
Moving over to the Spyder GT, the carbon-fiber-bodied roadster will receive the aforementioned 5.4-liter V-8 with 575 horsepower as standard, while an option check box will unlock no less than 800 horsepower. The GT will become available with the same transmission options as the regular Spyder.
Inside, the 25th Anniversary sports car will feature adjustable carbon-fiber sport seats, a carbon-fiber steering wheel, high-quality leather, wood trim and media player connectivity. Only 25 units of the convertible will be produced, with pricing to start from $189,000 for the Spyder and $229,000 for the Spyder GT.