The Panther J72 was a luxury car sold from 1972 to 1981. The two-door roadster was the first production vehicle of the Panther Westwinds company, styled to evoke the Jaguar SS100 and using mechanicals from the Jaguar XJ, including its 5.3-litre V12 engine.
Panther J72 at a glance
| Maker | Panther Westwinds, Britain |
|---|---|
| Production | 1972–1981 |
| Body | two-door roadster, aluminium coachwork |
| Style | in the manner of the Jaguar SS100 |
| Engine | Jaguar 5.3 L V12; also 3.8 L and 4.2 L XK straight-sixes |
| Mechanicals | Jaguar XJ |
| Interior | Connolly leather upholstery |
| Assembly | Michael Walker’s garage, Woking |
| Chassis | supplied by Geoff Jago, near Chichester |
| Engines and gearboxes | Forward Engineering, Coventry |
| V12 option | £4,000 after its 1973 Frankfurt show appearance |
| Built | 368 |
based on one source: the English Wikipedia article on the J72.
History of the Panther J72
The first Panther
The J72 was the car that established Panther Westwinds. Its aluminium coachwork and Connolly leather upholstery were wrapped around Jaguar XJ mechanicals, and buyers could choose the 5.3-litre V12 or one of Jaguar’s 3.8-litre and 4.2-litre XK straight-sixes. The result was a modern car in pre-war clothes, and it was a success for the small company.
Built in stages
Production was spread between several small workshops. The first units were assembled at Michael Walker’s garage in Woking, and the chassis was supplied by Geoff Jago near Chichester. Engines and gearboxes came from Forward Engineering in Coventry. Each chassis was built up and then sent away to have the body fitted, returned for engine fitting, and sent on to the trimmers for the interior and hood; final work and start-up, including test drives around the local country roads, was carried out back at Michael Walker’s in Woking.
Celebrity buyers and the V12
The car was purchased by a celebrity clientele that included the comedian Redd Foxx, Freddie Mercury and Elizabeth Taylor. A custom-built J72 with a V12 engine was shown at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 1973 and proved popular; the V12 then became a regular upgrade option, priced at £4,000. A total of 368 J72s were produced.
A fuel tank recall
On 26 May 1976 Robert Jankel wrote to the Office of Compliance of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in the United States to comply with Part 578 of the Defect Report procedure. Six vehicles had a defect with the fuel tank which, in the event of a crash, was at risk of being pierced by the rear body mounting bolts; if that happened, fuel could spill out and cause a fire. Panther Westwinds notified its dealers and the first purchasers of the defect and told them what modifications were needed to fix the problem.
Design and features
- SS100 style: a two-door roadster deliberately styled after the pre-war Jaguar.
- Jaguar XJ mechanicals: the 5.3-litre V12 or a 3.8 or 4.2 straight-six.
- Aluminium coachwork: hand-finished, with Connolly leather inside.
- Celebrity owners: Redd Foxx, Freddie Mercury and Elizabeth Taylor among them.
- Small-scale assembly: chassis, body, engine and trim handled by separate workshops.
Panther J72 versions
- Six-cylinder J72: the standard car with Jaguar’s 3.8 or 4.2 XK engine.
- V12 J72: a custom car shown at Frankfurt in 1973, then offered as an upgrade at £4,000.
The J72 was followed by the De Ville and the six-wheeled Panther 6, while the later Kallista took over as Panther’s volume model. More cars are in the Panther collection.
Sources
- Panther J72, English Wikipedia: production, engines, assembly, owners, recall
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