As promised, just in time for this year’s Le Mans 24 Hours race, Panoz reveals their new production, the Abruzzi “Spirit of Le Mans”. Apart from the very cool name, this car also has a great racing heritage behind it, hence the title. The Abruzzi is going to be extremely rare, until 2013 only 81 units will be made, corresponding to the number of Le Mans 24 Hour contests between the inception of the race in 1923 and the one 2013. Way to go!
This amazing looking beast is powered by a 600+ hp engine mounted at the front which also sends 590 ft.-lbs. of torque to the rear wheels. It features many new technologies chief among which is TRIFECTACOOLING technology: n 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.
Panoz has is also introducing a new very clever and very green way for making the body using a new technology called R.E.A.M.S. – Recyclable Energy Absorbing Matrix System. It’s a multi-layer composite system which they say is is lighter than carbon fiber yet equally strong and better than that, it is dent-resistant, shatter-proof and recyclable. WOW!
Press Release
The Panoz Abruzzi hankers 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.
