Panther De Ville - Wikipedia

Neo-classic luxury vehicle Motor vehicle

Panther De Ville
Overview
Manufacturer	Panther Westwinds Ltd
Production	1974–198560 produced
Assembly	United Kingdom: Weybridge, England
Designer	Robert Jankel
Body and chassis
Body style	4-door saloon 2-door coupé 2-door convertible 6-door limousine
Layout	FR layout
Powertrain
Engine	4.2 L Jaguar XK6 I6 5.3 L Jaguar V12
Transmission	3-speed automatic (1974–1976)4-speed automatic (1977–1985)
Dimensions
Wheelbase	142.0 in (3,607 mm)
Length	204.0 in (5,182 mm)
Width	71.0 in (1,803 mm)
Height	61.0 in (1,549 mm)
Curb weight	4,370 lb (1,982 kg)

The Panther De Ville is a neo-classic luxury vehicle which was produced by Panther Westwinds, a British speciality car maker, from 1974 to 1985. The De Ville was conceived by Robert Jankel to appeal to the taste of nouveau riche customers, including singer Elton John and actor Oliver Reed. About 60 De Villes were hand-built, including eleven two-door convertibles (for many years Britain's most expensive listed production car), and one pink and gold six-door limousine.[1]

With a wheelbase of 142 inches (3,607 mm), the tubular-framed De Ville used a straight-six engine or a V12 engine from Jaguar Cars. The flowing wing lines and big headlights of the De Ville were styled to imitate the Bugatti Royale.[1] The cockpit of the De Ville was modern, without the exterior's pretense of pre-war styling.[2]

The Panther De Ville was equipped with Jaguar suspension, power steering and automatic transmission, so it was an easy car to drive and quite quick, although poor aerodynamics tended to keep the top speed low. Interiors were lavish and often featured TV sets and drinks bars. The doors of the De Ville were from the BMC 1800 family car.[1]

A Panther De Ville was used in Disney's live-action movies 101 Dalmatians (1996), 102 Dalmatians (2000) and two De Villes for the film Cruella (2021) as Cruella de Vil's car. The Jaguar engine in the car was replaced with a small-block Chevrolet V8 to better withstand the rigours of stunt driving.[1] The Panther de Ville was hand painted by Alexander Mitchell.

References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c d Buckley, Martin (30 April 2004), Cars of the Super Rich, Motorbooks, p. 194, ISBN 9780760319536
2. ^ Costa, André & Georges-Michel Fraichard, ed. (September 1979). "Salon 1979: Toutes les Voitures du Monde". l'Auto Journal (in French). No. 14 & 15. Paris: Homme N°1. p. 157.

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