Panoz Roadster
Encyclopedia
The Panoz Roadster is a sports car
launched in 1992 by the American
manufacturer Panoz Auto Development Company of Georgia
. The Roadster was succeeded by the AIV Roadster in 1997. They were built using aluminum, similar to that of the Plymouth Prowler
first sold several years later in 1997. The Panoz Roadster was the first American built aluminum intensive vehicle.
used in a defunct Irish
sportscar called the TMC Costin
. Panoz had Freeman Thomas
design a new body for the car. Aluminum body panels were produced by Superform USA, resulting in bodywork both light and strong. Ford Mustang
running gear, engine, and transmission were used, as was a solid rear axle and independent front suspension. A seven man crew built the first ten cars, and other workers were added later to the production team. The Costin chassis was never put under a production car, instead the early Roadsters featured a TIG welded
stainless steel
tubing frame, and extensive use of CNC machined and stamped
parts.
cover, and no provision or intention of having either. No automatic transmission was offered, only the manual 5-speed. A small heater core delivered warmth to the windshield for defrosting, since the US DOT requirements mandated it. There was no radio, no heater, no air conditioner, and further more no place to install any of those.
Some Roadsters were fitted with a custom engraved plate atop the intake manifold with the owner’s name and the Panoz logo. A few cars were built to a factory specification, but most were custom ordered by the individual buyers.
There were a number of changes that took place over the course of production, but in general the cars were quite similar. Roadster production continued to 1995. Two prototypes were built, and a further 44 cars were manufactured and sold to the public.
with a central backbone. Special adhesives were used to attach the frame and body. Equally important, an entirely new drive train was used, the 1996 Mustang SVT Cobra
all aluminum, V-8 DOHC 32 valve motor
. Consequently the new Roadster was at approximately 70% aluminum and was dubbed an Aluminum Intensive Vehicle, the AIV Roadster.
The new engine produced 305 hp and 300 ft.lbf of torque. Combined with the lighter chassis this increased the car's power significantly. With the weight savings, an air conditioner was installed with little overall weight or performance change.
The last year the AIV Roadster was made was 1999, when 10 were modified with special paint, supercharged
, and signed to create the Signature Edition 2000 Panoz AIV Roadster. Total production of the AIV consisted of 6 prototypes and a further 176 production models sold to the public. Some cars built in 1999 were not sold until 2000.
The AIV Roadster was succeeded by the Panoz Esperante
.
Sports car
A sports car is a small, usually two seat, two door automobile designed for high speed driving and maneuverability....
launched in 1992 by the American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
manufacturer Panoz Auto Development Company of Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
. The Roadster was succeeded by the AIV Roadster in 1997. They were built using aluminum, similar to that of the Plymouth Prowler
Plymouth Prowler
The Plymouth Prowler, later the Chrysler Prowler, is a "retro" styled production car built in 1997 and 1999-2002. The Prowler was based on the 1993 concept car of the same name.- Design :...
first sold several years later in 1997. The Panoz Roadster was the first American built aluminum intensive vehicle.
Development
Panoz had purchased the rights to a frame designed by Frank CostinFrank Costin
Frank Costin was an automotive engineer who pioneered monocoque chassis design and was instrumental in adapting aircraft aerodynamic knowledge for automobile use. He was the brother of Mike Costin, co-founder of Cosworth. Frank Costin used his aeronautical knowledge to design and build a chassis...
used in a defunct Irish
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
sportscar called the TMC Costin
TMC Costin
The TMC Costin was a lightweight sports car built from 1983 to 1987 at the Thompson Motor Company in Wexford, Ireland.It was designed by the aerodynamicist and Marcos founder Frank Costin and was intended to be an Irish-made rival to Lotus Seven-inspired cars as manufactured by companies such as...
. Panoz had Freeman Thomas
Freeman Thomas
Freeman Thomas, born , is an American automobile and industrial designer who has worked for Porsche, Volkswagen Group, DaimlerChrysler and Ford.-Background:...
design a new body for the car. Aluminum body panels were produced by Superform USA, resulting in bodywork both light and strong. Ford Mustang
Ford Mustang
The Ford Mustang is an automobile manufactured by the Ford Motor Company. It was initially based on the second generation North American Ford Falcon, a compact car. Introduced early on April 17, 1964, as a "1964½" model, the 1965 Mustang was the automaker's most successful launch since the Model A...
running gear, engine, and transmission were used, as was a solid rear axle and independent front suspension. A seven man crew built the first ten cars, and other workers were added later to the production team. The Costin chassis was never put under a production car, instead the early Roadsters featured a TIG welded
Gas tungsten arc welding
Gas tungsten arc welding , also known as tungsten inert gas welding, is an arc welding process that uses a nonconsumable tungsten electrode to produce the weld...
stainless steel
Stainless steel
In metallurgy, stainless steel, also known as inox steel or inox from French "inoxydable", is defined as a steel alloy with a minimum of 10.5 or 11% chromium content by mass....
tubing frame, and extensive use of CNC machined and stamped
Numerical control
Numerical control refers to the automation of machine tools that are operated by abstractly programmed commands encoded on a storage medium, as opposed to controlled manually via handwheels or levers, or mechanically automated via cams alone...
parts.
Roadster
The Roadster had no top or tonneauTonneau
right|thumb|260px|1903 [[Ford Model A |Ford Model A]] rear-door TonneauTonneau cover , describes a hard or soft cover used to protect unoccupied passenger seats in a convertible, roadster, or for a pickup truck bed. Hard tonneau covers open by a hinging or folding mechanism while soft covers open...
cover, and no provision or intention of having either. No automatic transmission was offered, only the manual 5-speed. A small heater core delivered warmth to the windshield for defrosting, since the US DOT requirements mandated it. There was no radio, no heater, no air conditioner, and further more no place to install any of those.
Some Roadsters were fitted with a custom engraved plate atop the intake manifold with the owner’s name and the Panoz logo. A few cars were built to a factory specification, but most were custom ordered by the individual buyers.
There were a number of changes that took place over the course of production, but in general the cars were quite similar. Roadster production continued to 1995. Two prototypes were built, and a further 44 cars were manufactured and sold to the public.
AIV Roadster
Starting in 1994 Panoz developed an aluminum chassis for the Roadster. This new chassis would both reduce assembly time (yet 350 man hours were still put into each copy), and reduce weight improving performance. In 1996 a new prototype was unveiled, which differed substantially from the original car. It had an extruded aluminum space frameSpace frame
A space frame or space structure is a truss-like, lightweight rigid structure constructed from interlocking struts in a geometric pattern. Space frames can be used to span large areas with few interior supports...
with a central backbone. Special adhesives were used to attach the frame and body. Equally important, an entirely new drive train was used, the 1996 Mustang SVT Cobra
Ford Mustang SVT Cobra
The 1993 Ford Mustang SVT Cobra was launched during the 1992 Chicago Auto Show. It was the premier vehicle of Ford's newly established SVT division, designed to showcase SVT's four hallmarks of Performance, Substance, Exclusivity and Value...
all aluminum, V-8 DOHC 32 valve motor
Ford Modular engine
The Ford Modular engine is Ford Motor Company's overhead camshaft V8 and V10 engine family, which has been produced in 4.6L, 5.0L , 5.4L, and 6.8L variations. Contrary to popular belief, the Modular engine did not get its name from its design or sharing of certain parts among the engine family...
. Consequently the new Roadster was at approximately 70% aluminum and was dubbed an Aluminum Intensive Vehicle, the AIV Roadster.
The new engine produced 305 hp and 300 ft.lbf of torque. Combined with the lighter chassis this increased the car's power significantly. With the weight savings, an air conditioner was installed with little overall weight or performance change.
The last year the AIV Roadster was made was 1999, when 10 were modified with special paint, supercharged
Supercharger
A supercharger is an air compressor used for forced induction of an internal combustion engine.The greater mass flow-rate provides more oxygen to support combustion than would be available in a naturally aspirated engine, which allows more fuel to be burned and more work to be done per cycle,...
, and signed to create the Signature Edition 2000 Panoz AIV Roadster. Total production of the AIV consisted of 6 prototypes and a further 176 production models sold to the public. Some cars built in 1999 were not sold until 2000.
The AIV Roadster was succeeded by the Panoz Esperante
Panoz Esperante
The Esperante is a sports car made by Panoz, an American car manufacturer.There are several models of the Esperante: the base model, the GT, the GTLM, the GTS, and the JRD . Additionally, Panoz is more than willing to work with the buyer to make special modifications to any of the stock models...
.
Specifications of AIV Roadster
| Top speed | 140 mph (225 km/h) |
|---|---|
| Acceleration 0-60 mph (0-96 km/h) | 4.3 sec |
| Engine type | V8 DOHC 32 valves |
| Displacement | 281 ci (4,604 cc) |
| Transmission | 5-speed manual |
| Maximum power | 305 bhp (227 kW; 309 PS) @ 5,800 rpm |
| Maximum torque | 300 ft·lbf (410 Nm) @ 4,800 rpm |
| Weight | 2,570 lb (1,170 kg) |
| Fuel economy | 19.9 mpg (7.04 l/100km) |