-
Panoz Esperante GTR-1
If you are a 90’s kid, you probably remember the Panoz Esperante GTR-1 from cult racing games like Gran Turismo or Midtown Madness. This American supercar was the talk of the racing community in the late 90’s. Despite the promising start, Panoz built only a few racing versions and one street-legal example.
The technology behind the Esperante was for racing purposes. It had a space frame body structure, lightweight panels, two seats and a front engine they mounted towards the middle of the car for the best weight distribution. The characteristic front of the car was aerodynamically efficient, although it wasn’t that attractive. Under the hood was a Roush-built, Ford-derived V8 with over 500 HP mated to a sequential gearbox.
Panoz successfully raced the Esperante on numerous race tracks all over the world but managed to build only one street version. However, there is a rumor the company will build a new street legal Esperante GTR-1 for approximately $1 million.