Panther Solo

[trigger]

As a child i had a "world greatest supercars" book, One of my favorite one's in there was the Panther Solo.

 

They made a Solo with ran the XR2 1.6 CVH lump and then made the best one, the Solo 2, which was running the Sierra RS Cosworth running gear, Shame they never really caught on though as I think the Cosworth engine one could have been a real supercar eater.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I scanned off a artical from CAR magazine in 1987 a little while ago, I may as well share it here.

 

 

 

 

 

[trigger]

I've just read that SsangYong bought out Panther cars and made their own version in 1995...

 

[scaryoldcortina]

Thanks! I'd never heard of these - I was expecting a 1950's Cleckheaton built motorcycle, but without it's customary sidecar...

[Station]

I love these, the headlights rotate when switched on!

 

Similar league to the Moroder:

 

[retrogeezer]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 

That just looks like a Diablo clone...

[wuvvum]

Similar league to the Moroder:

 

That's a Cizeta, innit?

[Mr_Bo11ox]

Hey the engine in that silver one at the top looks proper cock-eyed.

[trigger]

Yep, It's a Cizeta V16T.

 

[scaryoldcortina]

Hey the engine in that silver one at the top looks proper cock-eyed.

 

 

Cos it is.. the article (great read, ta trig..) says it is offset to clear the rear diff.. also the drivetrain appears to be basically sierra 4x4 in origin, with the main prop driving the front diff and the chain takeoff (and second prop) doing the rear. I wonder if the gearshift is upside down....

[Station]

Yep, It's a Cizeta V16T.

 

 

Not badged, but known as, the Cizeta-Moroder V16T! It was funded by Giorgio Moroder, the record producer.

 

Here's one being seized by customs after someone imported into the USA. It's illegal to drive or own one over there.

 

These vehicles can pose a real threat to public health and safety.â€Â

 

Whatever.

 

http://wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/12 ... questions/

[Guest Leonard Hatred]

That just looks like a Diablo clone...

 

It was designed by Marcello Gandini too I think.

[garethj]

I :heart: the Solo, there was one on ebay 6 months ago that would have been a world of hurt.

 

More exotic stuff on this topic: viewtopic.php?f=1&t=6691

[retrogeezer]

From the comments on that Cizeta seizure article...

 

See,

In America you can legally own and use certain kinds of semi-automatic weapons... but a 16 cylnder 500-horse power Italian car.... no way: too unsafe. Somebody could die...!!

 

[Tayne]

.

[Gompo]

The Solo is a favourite of mine too, I possibly had the same book as Trigger where it's featured.

 

I've been reading a bit about the Solo the past few days, Autocar reckon that it could do with more power..

 

Car article is great, thanks.

[Mr_Bo11ox]

Does anyone know what caused the downfall of this car then and what happened in the end? It looks like one of those great british stories of snatching defeat from the jaws of a potentially spectacular victory.

 

I'm fairly certain I saw the Solo 1 when i went to the Brum motorshow in 1988, do I win £5?

[wuvvum]

From what I remember, it was the stupidly high production costs that killed the Solo - they were selling them at top money for something with a 2-litre turbo four-pot, and even then they were making a big loss. If it had had a more exotic engine it might have fared better, so some people reckon. Admittedly this is from my memory of a magazine article I read about 15 years ago, so might not be completely accurate.

[Gompo]

Panther only ever 'intended' to build 100, for whatever reason.

[Negative Creep]

 

 

I don't think I've ever seen an engine installed at that angle

[garethj]

Does anyone know what caused the downfall of this car then and what happened in the end? It looks like one of those great british stories of snatching defeat from the jaws of a potentially spectacular victory.

I think one of Trigger's road tests has the Solo against a Lotus Esprit. When you can't match a Lotus for build quality and refinement, there's a hellish big mountain to climb

[Rocket88]

The British motor industry seems to specialise in heroic failure................I'm amazed that Morgan are still going, probably because they play the " Olde Worlde " card so well.

[trigger]

I think one of Trigger's road tests has the Solo against a Lotus Esprit. When you can't match a Lotus for build quality and refinement, there's a hellish big mountain to climb

 

Your right, I forgot about that one, I'll post it up.

 

 

 

 

[The Moog]

Never even heard of them before.. but would love one now

[Mr_Bo11ox]

I spent much of my working day today trying to find out about the demise/disappearance of Panther, but turned up very little. I bet theres an interesting story behind it.

[garethj]

At the NEC show last year I spoke to someone on the Panther club stand about the Solo. He used to have one, and told me it was pretty much the customer finishing the development work for Panther (in the usual British manner)

 

Dunno about going bust, weren't they bought by a Korean businessman? He still owns one of the production Solos.

[HillmanImp]

At the NEC show last year I spoke to someone on the Panther club stand about the Solo. He used to have one, and told me it was pretty much the customer finishing the development work for Panther (in the usual British manner)

 

Dunno about going bust, weren't they bought by a Korean businessman? He still owns one of the production Solos.

 

Wikipedia says:

 

The Panther company collapsed in 1980 and was purchased by Young Kim of Korea. He built a new British factory in Harlow, Essex, and began assembling cars using Korean-made bodies. In the 1980s the company moved into the sports car arena, culminating with the 1990 Panther Solo. Panther lost money on every Solo, and the company was liquidated, with assets going to the Korean SsangYong Motor Company shortly afterwards.

 

I actully did some reading on this a while ago after someone on here posted a pic of a Panther Rio. Unfortunately I probably got drunk or/and ended up watching some porn instead as I cant remember anything.

 

Dont know why they went bust 1st time round or owt before they were sold abroad. They were doing quite well were they not, and carried on in the same fashion for several years until the Solo killed them off? Would be interesting to find out.