The Panther Lima is a retro-styled roadster built in the 1970s by Panther Westwinds. It used Vauxhall Viva and Magnum mechanicals, including that car’s 2.3-litre engine, and its fibreglass body was a roadster in a style reminiscent of an Allard or Morgan.
Panther Lima at a glance
| Maker | Panther Westwinds, Britain |
|---|---|
| Production | 1976–1982 |
| Body | fibreglass roadster |
| Style | reminiscent of an Allard or Morgan |
| Mechanicals | Vauxhall Viva and Magnum |
| Engine | 2.3 L (2,279 cc) |
| Mark II | purpose-built chassis |
| Gearbox | four-speed manual, automatic optional |
| Turbo | introduced February 1979, 178 hp (133 kW) |
| Turbo details | 14-inch alloy wheels, TURBO graphic on the bonnet |
| Built | 897 |
| Replaced by | Panther Kallista |
based on one source: the English Wikipedia article on the Lima.
History of the Panther Lima
Vauxhall mechanicals and a fibreglass body
The Lima was Panther’s attempt at a car built in real numbers. Its mechanicals came from the Vauxhall Viva and Magnum, including the 2.3-litre (2,279 cc) engine, while the fibreglass body was made in a roadster style reminiscent of an Allard or Morgan. The bodies were manufactured by Industrial Marine Fibreglass, based in Newton Abbot, Devon. The later Mark II model used a purpose-built chassis.
The Lima Turbo
A four-speed manual was standard, with an automatic transmission available as an option. By the standards of small-scale manufacturers the Lima was produced in volume: over 500 had been built by the time of the introduction of the Lima Turbo in February 1979. The turbocharged version, with an engine developed in Southern California, had 178 hp (133 kW) rather than the 108 hp (81 kW) of the original, and claimed a 0–100 km/h acceleration time of less than six seconds. The Turbo Lima was fitted with 14-inch alloy wheels and had a TURBO graphic on the bonnet.
897 cars
Production lasted from 1976 to 1982, with 897 cars produced. The Lima was replaced by the similar Panther Kallista for the 1980s.
Design and features
- Retro fibreglass body: a roadster shaped in the manner of an Allard or Morgan.
- Vauxhall power: Viva and Magnum mechanicals, including the 2.3-litre engine.
- Volume production: over 500 built before the Turbo arrived in February 1979.
- Lima Turbo: 178 hp instead of 108, with 14-inch alloys and a bonnet graphic.
- Mark II chassis: the later cars used a purpose-built chassis.
Panther Lima versions
- Lima (1976–1982): the original car on Vauxhall Viva and Magnum mechanicals.
- Lima Mark II: the later version with a purpose-built chassis.
- Lima Turbo (from February 1979): 178 hp, 14-inch alloy wheels and a TURBO graphic on the bonnet.
The Lima was replaced by the Kallista, and Panther had already built the J72 roadster. More cars are in the Panther collection.
Video: PANTHER lima kallista j72 AMBOISE 2009
Video on YouTube.
Sources
- Panther Lima, English Wikipedia: mechanicals, body, Turbo, production
.jpg){kind=link}