The Panther 6 was a British six-wheel convertible produced by Panther in 1977. Its six-wheel configuration was inspired by the Tyrrell P34 Formula 1 racing car, and its mid-mounted 8.2-litre Cadillac V8 was fitted with twin turbochargers. Only two cars were made, one in white and one in black, and both are known still to exist.
Panther 6 at a glance
| Maker | Panther, Britain |
|---|---|
| Launched | 1977 |
| Body | two-seat convertible with detachable hard top |
| Engine | 8.2 L (500 cu in) Cadillac V8, mid-mounted, twin turbochargers |
| Transmission | three-speed automatic |
| Wheel layout | one pair of rear wheels, two pairs of smaller steerable front wheels |
| Tyres | Pirelli 265/50VR16 rear, Pirelli 205/40VR13 front |
| List price | $96,000 |
| Claimed top speed | over 200 mph (322 km/h) |
| Equipment | electronic instruments, 17,000 BTU air conditioner, automatic fire extinguisher |
| Built | 2 |
based on one source: the English Wikipedia article on the Panther 6. It gives no performance figures beyond Panther’s own claim.
History of the Panther 6
Six wheels, like the Tyrrell
The idea came from motor racing: the Tyrrell P34 of 1976 ran on four small front wheels, and Panther applied the same thinking to a road car. The Panther 6 has one pair of larger rear wheels with Pirelli 265/50VR16 tyres and two pairs of smaller, steerable front wheels with Pirelli 205/40VR13 tyres. Behind the seats sat a mid-mounted 8.2-litre Cadillac V8 with twin turbochargers, driving through a three-speed automatic transmission.
A show car with a full specification
The specification was extravagant even by the standards of a low-volume British maker. It included a detachable hard top as well as a convertible soft top, electronic instruments, a 17,000 BTU air conditioner, an automatic fire extinguisher, electric seats and windows, a telephone and a dashboard-mounted television set. Panther claimed a top speed of over 200 mph (322 km/h). At least one of the two vehicles was described as the showstopper of London’s 1977 Motorfair, and the black car appeared at the Auto Expo show in Manhattan, New York City, in the spring of 1978.
Two cars, both surviving
Only two Panther 6s were made, one white and one black, and both are known still to exist. One is in Saudi Arabia. The other was shown at the 2008 NEC Classic Car Show by the Panther Car Club and at the 2015 Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este by Albert Fellner. The list price was $96,000.
Design and features
- Six wheels: two steerable front pairs, a layout borrowed from the Tyrrell P34 Formula 1 car.
- Twin-turbo Cadillac V8: 8.2 litres mounted amidships, with a three-speed automatic.
- Show-car equipment: television, telephone, 17,000 BTU air conditioning and an automatic fire extinguisher.
- Rarity: two cars built in 1977, one white and one black, both still in existence.
Panther 6 versions
- White car: one of the two built, now in Saudi Arabia.
- Black car: shown at the NEC Classic Car Show in 2008 and at Villa d’Este in 2015.
The Panther 6 was the most extravagant car from Panther Westwinds, the company that also built the J72 roadster. More cars are in the Panther collection.
Video: Panther 6 – Octane magazine
Video on YouTube.
Sources
- Panther 6, English Wikipedia: engine, wheel layout, equipment, the two cars, price
