Panoz Auto Development · 2000–2015
Panoz Esperante
The Panoz Esperante is a sports car manufactured by Panoz, a Georgia-based car manufacturer. Despite sharing the name with the Panoz Esperante GTR-1, they were unrelated.
Text from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Predecessor: Panoz Roadster · Successor: Panoz Abruzzi
All Panoz Auto Development Esperante data: UK builds, safety, recalls, model years →
First generation
First shown at the 2000 New York Motor Show, the Esperante followed up on the company's first model, the minimal Roadster. The company designed the Esperante to be easy to manufacture, with the chassis designed in five modules making extensive use of extruded aluminum. There was no welding involved; pieces were bonded and bolted together instead. Panoz also took advantage of the numerous aviation craftsmen located in and around Atlanta, for design and manufacture as well. The engines for the first generation were sourced from Ford Motor Company's Modular V8 family. There have been several versions of the original Esperante: the original base model (later given the GT moniker), the GTLM coupe, the GTS, the JRD (an aftermarket upgrade brand similar to Roush Mustangs), and the Brabham. Each model has different specifications. The GTLM, for example, uses a supercharger to boost power from 305 hp (227 kW) to 420 hp (313 kW), raising performance from 0–60 mph in 5 seconds to 4 seconds. The GTS on the other hand is built as a driver's class spec car, to SCCA standards, with harness, roll cage, side bars, etc. Additionally, it is around 600 lb (272 kg) lighter than the base Esperante, has a steel 5.8 liter V8 racing engine that produces 385 bhp (287 kW; 390 PS), and is made of easily replaceable panels to facilitate small impact race repair. It can do 0–60 mph (97 km/h) in 4.2 seconds, go up to a top speed of 182 mph (293 km/h), and achieve 0.98 g of lateral grip.
Specifications
=== Body and chassis === Layout: Front/mid-engine, rear wheel drive, luxury sport convertible Body: Hand assembled lightweight SPF aluminum. Chassis: Hand built modular extruded aluminum, bolted and bonded to steel subframes Engine and drivetrain. Engine: Ford Modular, hand assembled DOHC, 32-valve, 90-degree, aluminum V8 Displacement: 4,601 cc Power: 305 hp (227 kW) at 5,800 rpm Torque: 320 lb⋅ft (434 N⋅m) at 4,200 rpm Compression ratio: 9.8:1 Bore by stroke: 3.55 by 3.54 in (90.2 by 90.0 mm) Fuel: Gasoline 93 octane Fuel injection: Sequential electronic indirect multi-point Ignition: Distributorless, coil-on-plug Transmission: Tremec T45 5-speed manual; 4-speed automatic (optional) Gear ratios: 1st: 3.37:1 2nd: 1.99:1 3rd: 1.33:1 4th: 1.00:1 5th: 0.67:1 Rev: 3.22:1 final: 3.27:1 Differential: Limited-slip type, 8.8 inch (224 mm) ring gear, aluminum case Weight: 1,200 kg (2,646 lb) Performance. 0–62 mph (0–100 km/h): 4.2 seconds (Esperante GTLM) 0–62 mph (0–100 km/h): 4.9 seconds (Esperante GT) 0–62 mph (0–100 km/h): 5.1 seconds (Esperante) Quarter mile: 13.4 seconds at 107.3 mph (Esperante GT) Quarter mile: 13.7 seconds at 103.5 mph (Esperante) Lateral acceleration: 0.96 g (Esperante GT) Lateral acceleration: 0.92 g (Esperante) Top speed: 155 mph (250 km/h) with manual transmission Top speed: 150 mph (242 km/h) with automatic transmission Suspension. Front: Fully independent short long arm (SLA) double wishbone configuration with gas charged Eibach coil-over shock absorbers and anti-roll bar Rear: Fully independent, double wishbone with horizontally opposed, pushrod-and-rocker activated Penske gas charged coil-over shock absorbers and anti-roll bar. Wheels: Aluminum BBS, 17 by 9 inches (430 by 230 mm) Installed tires: Yokohama, Dunlop P255/45ZR17 Brakes. Manufacturer:
Second generation
Introduced in 2014, the 2015 430-hp Spyder and 560-hp Spyder GT were only in production for about a year. As well as the Ford Modular V8, the second generation was equipped with more powerful General Motors LS engines, with available supercharging.
Racing (Panoz Esperante GTLM)
A racing version of the Esperante known as the Esperante GT-LM was developed by Panoz for the GT2 category of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. 2006 was a year of noticeable achievement for Panoz. The #50 Multimatic Motorsports Team Panoz Esperante GT-LM took a first place podium finish at the 55th Annual Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring beating GT2 regulars BMW, Porsche, Ferrari, and Spyker. That June the #81 Panoz Esperante GT-LM campaigned by England-based Team LNT managed to outlast and overtake the remaining LMGT2 contenders in the final hour of the 2006 24 Hours of Le Mans. In Europe, Team LNT will be campaigning two Esperantes also. They will be competing in the British GT Championship and Le Mans Endurance Series. Team LNT will be returning to the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2007 with both the #81 and #82 cars.[1] During the 2007 American Le Mans season the Panoz Esperante GTLM will be managed, stateside, by Tom Milner and Team PTG. They will be campaigning two GT-LMs (#20 and #21). Team PTG scored 1 GT2 class podium in the hands of Bill Auberlen and Joey Hand in 2007 Sports Car Challenge of St. Petersburg. In the same year, Panoz Esperante GTLM also fielded Robertson Racing Team as 2007 ALMS season part-time entries in the hands of Andrea Robertson, David Robertson and Arie Luyendyk Jr.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0); text is shortened. Read the full article for the complete history and citations.
Specifications
- name
- Panoz Esperante
- Manufacturer
- Panoz, LLC
- Production
- 2000–2007 (1st Gen), 2014–2015 (2nd Gen)
- Layout
- FR layout
- Assembly
- Braselton, Georgia 30548, U.S.
- Successor
- Panoz Avezzano (for coupe model)
Specification summary from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Measured facts from Wikidata (CC0). Check the linked sources for citations.
More photos
Sources
- Wikidata — https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3120771CC0 1.0 · retrieved 2026-10-01
- Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panoz_EsperanteCC BY-SA 4.0 · Text © Wikipedia contributors; revision 1345105062 · retrieved 2026-10-01
- Wikimedia Commons — https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Panoz_Esperante_front_quarter.jpgCC BY-SA 3.0 · Photo: User:BillWeiss · retrieved 2026-10-01
- Car Model Index — https://models.autoculturesociety.com/Compiled record. Sources that do not permit reuse are not copied; this index is credited instead.