The Panoz Roadster was launched in 1992 by Panoz Auto Development Company of Georgia and replaced in 1997 by the AIV Roadster. It was built of aluminium, like the Plymouth Prowler that appeared several years later, and was the first aluminium-intensive vehicle built in America — a bare two-seater with no roof, no heater and no radio.
Panoz Roadster at a glance
| Maker | Panoz Auto Development Company, Georgia |
|---|---|
| Launched | 1992 |
| Body | aluminium panels over a TIG-welded stainless steel frame |
| Body design | Freeman Thomas |
| Panels | Superform USA, Riverside, California |
| Frame origin | Costin design, from the defunct TMC Costin |
| Engine | Ford Mustang V8 |
| Gearbox | Borg-Warner T-5 five-speed manual, later T-45 |
| Equipment | no roof, no radio, no heater, no air conditioning |
| Built | 2 prototypes and 44 cars |
| Production | 1992–1995 |
| Successor | Panoz AIV Roadster, 1997 |
based on one source: the English Wikipedia article on the Roadster. It gives no performance figures for the 1992 car.
History of the Panoz Roadster
A Costin frame, an American body
Panoz had bought the rights to a chassis designed by Frank Costin for a defunct Irish sports car, the TMC Costin. Freeman Thomas was asked to design a new body for it, and aluminium panels were produced by Superform USA in Riverside, California, which gave bodywork that was both light and strong. The Costin chassis itself never went under a production car: the early Roadsters used a TIG-welded stainless steel tube frame with extensive use of CNC-machined and stamped parts. Ford Mustang running gear was used throughout, including the solid rear axle, independent front suspension and the Borg-Warner T-5 five-speed manual, later updated to the T-45. A crew of seven built the first ten cars, and more workers were added later.
As minimal as a car can be
The Roadster had no top and no tonneau cover, and no provision or intention of having either. No automatic transmission was offered. A small heater core fed warmth to the windscreen for defrosting because American regulations demanded it, but there was no radio, no heater and no air conditioning — and nowhere to install them. Some cars were fitted with a custom engraved plate on top of the intake manifold carrying the owner’s name and the Panoz logo. A few were built to a factory specification, but most were ordered individually by their buyers. Production ran to 1995: two prototypes and 44 cars sold to the public.
The AIV Roadster
From 1994 Panoz developed an aluminium chassis for the Roadster, which cut assembly time — although each car still took 350 man hours — and reduced weight. A new prototype was unveiled in 1996, substantially different from the original: an extruded aluminium space frame with a central backbone, with special adhesives attaching frame and body. The drivetrain was new too, the all-aluminium 32-valve double-overhead-camshaft V8 of the 1996 Mustang SVT Cobra, producing 305 hp (227 kW) and 300 lb·ft (407 N·m) of torque. With about 70 per cent aluminium content the car was dubbed an Aluminum Intensive Vehicle, the AIV Roadster, and the extra power combined with the lighter chassis raised its power-to-weight ratio enough that air conditioning could be fitted with little effect on weight or performance. The final year was 1999, when ten cars received special ‘Titanium’ paint, a supercharger, blue leather trim and signatures as the 10th anniversary edition. AIV production came to six prototypes and 176 cars, some of the 1999 build only being sold in 2000.
Design and features
- Aluminium bodywork: Superform USA panels over a welded stainless frame, the first aluminium-intensive car built in America.
- No roof, no heater: only a small heater core for the windscreen, because the regulations required defrosting.
- Mustang running gear: Ford V8 power and a five-speed manual, with no automatic offered.
- Made to order: most cars were specified by individual buyers, some with an engraved plate on the intake manifold.
Panoz Roadster versions
- Roadster (1992–1995): the original car, 44 examples plus two prototypes.
- AIV Roadster (1997–1999): aluminium space frame and the 305 hp Mustang SVT Cobra V8.
- 10th anniversary AIV (1999): ten supercharged cars in ‘Titanium’ paint with blue leather.
The Roadster was Panoz’s first model, followed by the Esperante shown in 2000; the racing side of the company began with the Esperante GTR-1. More cars are in the Panoz collection.
Video: Panoz AIV Roadster We go for a ride! 25th Anniversary! An American Morgan?
Video on YouTube.
Sources
- Panoz Roadster, English Wikipedia: development, equipment, AIV Roadster, production
