Panoz

The Esperante's design and the philosophy behind it are both a respectful nod to the great sports cars of the past and a bold look to the future. Its sweeping lines and subtle curves, reminders of a time when cars meant something different to each of us and yet stirred the same excitement and desire in us all. A time when a car's individuality was found in its look, sound and feel and not just its name.

Wrapped in the Esperante's refined shape is pure, state-of-the-art automotive design and manufacturing. The result of a belief that a sports car's exotic looks don't have to come at the expense of reliability, and that high performance lies in the whole of the automobile and not just under the hood. The Esperante's performance is enhanced because its chassis and body are made almost entirely of lighter weight aluminum.

Aluminum has all the strength and rigidity of steel, but is much lighter. The chassis is assembled by using aluminum extrusions that are bonded together as opposed to welded, making the chassis much stronger. Its body panels are formed using the aerospace industry's SPF (Superplastic Forming) technology. A method Panoz pioneered in the automotive industry. By using SPF to form the body panels, the aluminum endures less stress and therefore better retains its strength. Body panels formed with SPF are also more dent resistant and accept paint better, making for a finish that is nothing short of art. Under the Esperante's hood revs a limited-production, 4.6 liter Ford Cobra V8, generating 320 horsepower. The Cobra V8 is hand-built, and its block personally signed, by two-man teams at Ford's Special Vehicle Teams facility in Romeo, Michigan. It delivers world-class performance and a forty- year history of endurance.

Only behind the wheel of the Esperante can this blend of graceful design, hand-built craftsmanship and modern technology be truly appreciated. The smell of hand-sewn leather seats. The taut throw of the stick shift. The guttural roar of its 320 American horses singing as you go from a standstill to sixty miles per hour in less than five seconds. Its muscular suspension carving through hairpin turns with nimble precision. It is a relationship that is as much spiritual as it is physical. A relationship that is rare and special. One that cannot be produced for the masses. Nor understood by them. A relationship that could only be understood by driving.