Billed as the modern-day De Tomaso
Pantera, Ares Design’s Panther ProgettoUno had its official debut at the 2019
Concorso d’Eleganza. Since then, the coachbuilt supercar has made the
transition from pre-production prototype to production model – if that’s a
proper term for a vehicle made in a run of just 21 units. To mark the moment,
Ares Design has released the first-ever dynamic footage of the Panther ProgettoUno.
The film, shot on the countryside roads
around Modena, is titled ‘Shaping Carbon’ – a reference to the material the
supercar’s body is made from. The supercar’s styling and its name are obvious
references to the iconic De Tomaso Pantera of the 1970s and 1980s. The
aggressive bodywork is created entirely from carbon fiber and was refined
through CFD technology to achieve the best aerodynamic performance.
The retro theme continues inside with a
classically-styled dash (which does feature a digital instrument panel,
though), bespoke leather and Alcantara upholstery, carbon fiber trim, and
aluminum switchgear. The Panther also features a high-definition Daniel Hertz
audio system.
While the body is shaped to resemble the
classic supercar (it even features pop-up LED headlights), the hardware is as
modern as it gets, since the Panther ProgettoUno is based on the Lamborghini
Huracan. Therefore, it packs a 5.2-liter naturally aspirated V10 delivering 650
PS at 8,250 rpm and 600 Nm at 6,500 rpm courtesy of a
tuned ECU and hand-built stainless-steel exhaust system.
Hooked to a seven-speed dual-clutch
transmission and electronically controlled Haldex AWD system, the V10 pushes
the Panther from 0 to 100 km/h in just 3.1 seconds and on to a top
speed of 325 km/h. Ares Design says it worked on the “visceral
feedback” from the transmission and the suspension, “developing settings which
specifically return lightning-fast reactions and precise feedback.”
Production of the Panther ProgettoUno
supercar, which is the first model of Ares Design’s Legends Reborn program, has
already started. Each of the 21 examples is priced from €615,000 (US$ 697,500).
