OF ALL THE COMPANIES LIKELY TO MAKE a mid-'80s car mag cover star, you wouldn't have bet on Panther. Founded in 1972 by fashion designer and some-time saloon car racer Bob Jankel, Panther spent the '70s making a twee Jaguar SS100 replica, a faux 1930s saloon with Austin 1800 doors, a restyled Triumph Dolomite and, latterly, another fake pre-war roadster called the Lima. Most notoriously, in 1977 it created the Panther 6, a monstrous six-wheeled convertible powered by an 8.2-litre twin-turbo Cadillac V8, just two of which were made.
This zany freak show carried on until the end of 1979 when Panther ran out of money. Fortunately, soon afterwards South Korean industrialist Young C Kim visited London for a classic car auction, spotted a Lima outside his hotel and attempted to order one only to find production had halted. So he decided to buy the company.
This story is from the March 2023 edition of Evo UK.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the March 2023 edition of Evo UK.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Tiff Needell
From Morris Travellers to McLarens, via Le Mans and F1, television's original Mr Sideways talks about his behind-the-wheel highlights
Aston Martin DB12 Volante
The drop-top version of Aston Martin's super tourer’ has arrived, complete with the same 6/lbhp V8 and 202mph top speed. But the need for a calmer soul lingers
BEST BUYS
Sam Jenkins
THE ANATOMY OF A PENSKE 123 INDYCAR
For a while in the '90s, IndyCar challenged Formula 1 as the premier form of motorsport; we look under the skin of a Penske PC23 from the series' golden era
TECHNOLOGY OVERLOAD?
Do today's car interfaces ask too much of the driver? And how can they be improved? We get an Airbus pilot's expert opinion
ARCH RIVALS
Audi's RS4 is going out on a high with the Competition version; Alfa Romeo's Giulia Quadrifoglio fights on with a new facelift. The two meet for a shootout
BLUE FUNDAY
The road-going Maserati MC20 was evo Car of the Year 2022, so great things are expected of the GT2 race version. We head for the Autodromo di Modena to find out if it delivers
Vredestein Ultrac Pro
New high performance tyre claims unique blend of grip and ride comfort. We put it to the test
Virtual sanity
Can sophisticated driving simulators replace costly, physical prototypes? We visit the new £4m Horiba MIRA simulator complex to take a digital drive
Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio
A package of updates for 2024 ensures the Giulia's sister car remains the most super of super-SUVs