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At full throttle the four-cam V-8 has a strong voice in the
cockpit; the supercharger has a separate howl in the same
dB range. Not loud, but clear and present entertainment.
Select third gear, go flat and it’s back in a second or so.
When you have reached your road condition comfort level,
lift to an even throttle, and all that remains is a steady, soft
background rumble – satisfying and friendly.
The GTLM is the highest performance development of a
line of very personal sports cars that began with Atomic
Pickle (included in these photos). The cycle-fendered, pickle-
shaped Panoz car number one was built in 1990 on a polished
stainless steel space frame. It included much of the
corporate power-to-weight and safety philosophies that have
become a hallmark of the company. The Esperante roadster,
introduced in 2000, was the first of the line completely
designed and engineered by Panoz Automotive
Development. A GT model followed in 2003 and, after racing
success in the American Le Mans Series with a raceprepared
version, the GTLM was offered to bring much of
what had been learned on the track back to the street.
Rather immodestly called a "sports car for the enlightened
enthusiast," the Panoz Esperante’s "timeless" design,
while not unattractive, is steadfastly counter-intuitive to current
aerodynamic shapes. Yet the reality is the GT makes a
small hole in the air and generates a substantial down force
at speed. Under the skin is a complex and innovative structure
composed of Panoz-engineered, extruded and bonded
aluminum sections, and the coupe’s roof is supported by a
carbon fiber superstructure. It is relatively simple to assemble
and includes a brilliant modular concept. If a crashcrumple
zone is damaged, a bolt-on front or rear chassis
section is simply replaced.
The Esperante chassis carries its engine behind the front
axle line — what Panoz calls a front mid-engine layout —
giving a perfect 50/50 weight distribution. The standard 4.6-
liter DOHC 32-valve Ford V-8 SVT crate motor delivers
305 horsepower and 320 pound/feet of torque and comes
with a full Ford warranty. The supercharged and intercooled
GTLM edition of the SVT DOHC V-8 produces 420 very
useful horses and also brings Ford dealer support. A Tremec
TR 3650 5-speed or a 4-speed automatic can be ordered on
either the Esperante roadster or the GT, but the GTLM gets
the Tremec T56 6-speed. All cars have limited slip diffs;
only the ratios differ to match power available.
Before we close the hood, we have to point out the small
aluminum panel attached to the radiator enclosure. It carries
the engraved signatures of every one who worked on this
car along with its chassis number and a name given to it by
the crew, as though it was one of their children.
Along with its very high performance, this latest coupe’s
interior brings a 21st century level of civility. The new interior
eliminates wind noise and absorbs all the hard edges of
road sounds. It is as well finished and detailed as any low
volume manufacturer in the world. It is a little close in
there, but an updated version will be available soon after
you have read this in which a reshaping of interior panels
will solve that minor complaint. A tire-to-fender-well challenged
turning circle has also had some attention. Panoz
production permits — and receives — periodic detail
upgrades. Even so, the interior of the first series GTLM I
drove offers a great place to play. The instrument panel
remains in the center of the dash. It can take a little getting
used to when you get busy. The seats are GT-style buckets,
not race seats which you have to climb over to get in and
out. While performance is the equal of many current dualpurpose
road/track cars, the Panoz is primarily a very fast
grand touring car that remains a comfortable commuter.
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