The Panoz Abruzzi Spirit of Le Mans was officially unveiled today, and as you can see from the photos this new sports car if definitely unique, even though it might not win any beauty contests any time soon.
Powering the 2011 Panoz Abruzzi Spirit of Le Mans is is mid-engine delivering over 600 horsepower and 590 lb-ft of torque which will apparently deliver great performance as it is combined with the car’s ‘form follows function design’ which enables great downforce and grip.
Only 81 Panoz Abruzzi Spirit of Le Mans will see the daylight, for which production will stretch on the next three years and all of the future customers will get their cars delivers at the Le Mans circuit where the automaker is also throwing in a free driving course.
The Panoz Abruzzi Spirit of Le Mans price was not announced yet, and we hope we get to see some performance figures soon. automobile
and experience to our customers. Our new offering takes this to a
completely new level."
The Abruzzi "Spirit of Le Mans" is more than a technological masterpiece
from Panoz Auto Development (PAD), based in Hoschton, Ga. It represents
a new chapter in automotive production and delivery, tied into the
world’s most demanding auto race.
The super sports car will be offered as a strictly limited edition. Only
81 Abruzzi "Spirit of Le Mans" vehicles will ever be produced,
corresponding to the number of Le Mans 24 Hour contests between the
inception of the race in 1923 and the race to be held in 2013.
Abruzzi: The Car
The hand-built Abruzzi "Spirit of Le Mans" is a unique, front-engine,
rear-transaxle and rear-radiator super sports car – road-legal in Europe
and many countries of Asia, the Middle East and South America. The
powertrain will deliver 600-plus HP with 590 ft.-lbs. of torque.
Advanced design and aerodynamics offer astounding downforce and
road-holding.
Performance is just one facet that sets the Abruzzi apart from other
exotics. It also breaks new ground in environmental design and
construction starting with the unprecedented implementation of the
R.E.A.M.S.® – Recyclable Energy Absorbing Matrix System – body system
that offers environmental, performance and structural advantages like no
other automobile body system on the planet. Never used before on any
road-going automobile, the multi-layer composite system is lighter than
carbon fiber yet equally strong. Unlike carbon fiber however, it is
dent-resistant, shatter-proof and recyclable.
Abruzzi also introduces TRIFECTACOOLING® technology. In addition to a
normal high-efficiency radiator, there are stage two and stage three
systems that lower coolant temperature on both the inflow to and the
outflow from the radiator.
"These are advancements that will open up a new era of automotive
design," Panoz said. "Dating back to our first road car – the AIV
Roadster – PAD has been a believer in efficient construction and design.
This philosophy continues with our Abruzzi."
Abruzzi: The Experience
The Panoz Abruzzi harkens back to a day where drivers would pilot their
cars to Le Mans, race it twice around the clock then drive back home. It
essentially captures the "Spirit of Le Mans" with a never-before-seen
acquisition program that sets a new standard for personalization and
delivery.
Given the roots of Panoz’s automotive dreams, it is only appropriate
that the Abruzzi "Spirit of Le Mans" will be delivered to its owners at
the famed Circuit de la Sarthe, shipped directly there from the Panoz
factory. Each automobile will be linked to a specific Le Mans 24 Hour
race, with the chassis number also containing that specific race date
and the initials of the winning drivers and the history of that year.
Professional drivers will instruct owners in driving the car on the
Bugatti Circuit at Le Mans. Service and repairs also will be attended to
at the ACO facilities of the Circuit 24 Hours of Le Mans.
New vehicle owners also will be invited to the 24 Hours of Le Mans as
guests of the ACO and Panoz at the ACO’s hospitality facilities in the
"Model Sportif" at the circuit. New owners also will have the unique
opportunity to drive a parade lap of the full 8.3-mile circuit at that
year’s event.
During the Le Mans race week a "Spirit of Le Mans" reception will be
held at the clubhouse of the famed Golf Des 24 Heuers in the historic
town of Arnage. The new owners for that year will be the guests of the
ACO officials and past "Spirit of Le Mans" award winners such as Jacky
Ickx and Derek Bell.
"Being associated with the ACO and Le Mans is something very special to
me," Panoz said. "Being able to stand side-by-side with the heroes and
legends of Le Mans gives me a sense of appreciation and passion for this
grand event. I felt it was important to give our customers the same
experience, and I am grateful to our partners at the ACO for helping
make this happen."
Panoz Auto Development produces leading-edge, fully certified
automobiles and is best known for the first US-manufactured AIV
(Aluminum Intensive Vehicle) – the Panoz AIV Roadster. The Panoz
Esperante body and chassis also extensively employs aluminum for
performance, safety and efficiency. The Panoz Esperante GTLM earned
world-famous stature as a race car by winning the GT2 category at both
the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring and the 24 Hours of Le Mans in a
single year – 2006.
