| Panoz Auto Development, www.panozauto.com |
The Abruzzi sports car from Panoz Auto Development Co., Hoschton, Ga., will carry an as-yet-unspecified combustion engine up front capable of 600 hp and 590 lb-ft of torque. But the three radiators used to cool the powerplant, a so-called Trifecta Cooling System, will be in the rear and use air funneled through ducts in the rear and side glass. The lightweight body will be made of a multilayer composite dubbed Reams (recyclable energy-absorbing matrix system) that is said to be lighter, less expensive, but just as strong as carbon fiber. Unlike carbon fiber, the new material resists dents, won’t shatter, and is recyclable.
Panoz will build 27 Abruzzis per year over the next three years, and each will be delivered to its owner at the 24-hr Le Mans race. Each car will also commemorate a specific Le Mans race, with its serial number including the year of the race and winning driver’s initials. New owners will get two days of driver training on the Bugatti Le Mans circuit. He or she will also be allowed to drive the full Le Man race course.
The car should cost about $480,000. But be advised: currently, it is only guaranteed to be street legal in Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and South America.