The Panoz AIV Is The American Roadster Everyone Forgot Existed

The Shelby Cobra is commonly first that involves thoughts whilst speakme approximately a true-blue American roadster. Then again, the Panoz AIV merits identical reward for being beforehand of its time. The AIV (or Aluminum-Intensive Vehicle) is America`s first all-aluminum manufacturing automobile (in line with Panoz). Panoz released the AIV in 1996 because the second-era version of the emblem's first roadster, which debuted in 1992. The automaker bought forty four gadgets of the authentic roadster primarily based totally on a chassis through British engineer Frank Costin, who formerly designed the architectures of Maserati, Lotus, and Lister racing automobiles at the same time as advancing the adoption of aeronautics-primarily based totally monocoque chassis production to land-certain vehicles (in line with Hemmings).

Equipped with a Ford five.0-liter V8 and no roof to masks the noise, Panoz claims the first-gen Roadster "changed into serviceable, reliable, and will take a variety of abuse," tremendous characteristics to have in a fun-using roadster (through Panoz). But in 1996, Panoz unveiled the all-new AIV Roadster, immediately converting the overall performance automobile game.

Panoz AIV: Lighter and extra potent

The Panoz AIV changed into in manufacturing from 1996 to 1999. The emblem constructed an extra ten Signature Edition editions in 2000, capping the entire manufacturing run to 176 gadgets bought, making the AIV Roadster as exceptional as any distinguished Ferrari, Jaguar, or Lamborghini (through Panoz). What makes the AIV precise is an all-aluminum spaceframe hiding below its Plymouth Prowler-stimulated countenance. Under the hood is a extra powerful, all-aluminum, hand constructed quad-cam Ford SVT V8 that produces 305 horsepower (approximately one hundred extra than the authentic Roadster) that revs to an notable 6,800 rpm (through Car and Driver).

According to Car and Driver in a March 2000 review, the Panoz AIV has no hassle scooting to 60 mph from a useless prevent in approximately 4.6 seconds. Keep your proper foot down, and it eclipses the quarter-mile in 13.five seconds at 103 mph, mightily stunning for a low-volume, open-pinnacle sports activities automobile. And because it weighs so little (beneathneath 2,570 pounds), it has the power-to-weight ratio of a 996-Series Porsche 911 Turbo.

There's a catch. The Panoz AIV does not come cheap: one bought at public sale in 2020 for $70,000, in keeping with RM Sotheby's. This makes it an luxurious toy for deep-pocketed enthusiasts. Moreover, second-hand gadgets are becoming tougher to return back through, and you may want to a aggregate of good fortune and coins to grab one from its preceding owner, with charges commonly starting from beneathneath $50,000 for a first-gen roadster to $55,000 for a Panoz AIV (in line with Hemmings).