At the 1977 London Motor Show, visitors didn't quite know what they were looking at, and there was quite a draft due to the many open mouths. An enormous car, nearly five meters long and over two meters wide. Under the hood was an 8,2-liter biturbo V8 from a Cadillac Eldorado which on paper would result in a top speed of 322 km/h. The Panther 6.
Robert Jankel, founder of Panther Westwinds, had always had a love for bizarre vehicles. Jankel drew his inspiration for this supercar from the Tyrrell P34 Formula 1 racer that competed in the British Grand Prix in 1976. The car featured a convertible top, electronic gauges, air conditioning, an automatic fire extinguishing system under the hood, electric seats and windows, a telephone in the door, and a television in the dashboard. And we are talking about a car from 1977 here.
Interior of the Panther 6
To ensure the Panther 6 could pass the 200 mph barrier, modifications were made to the Cadillac engine. American hot rod guru Ak Miller set to work with two turbochargers, resulting in 600 horsepower instead of the standard 365. Pirelli developed special tires for the wheels to ensure they remained intact at such speeds. All of this was intended to ensure the 1302-kilogram car got off the line well, with a claimed acceleration to 100 km/h of under eight seconds.
Tyrrell P34 Formula 1 car
