1989 Panther Solo

The Panther Solo was in production from 1989 until 1990. Styled by Ken Greenley, it is a mid-engine, rear wheel drive coupe seating two adults and two small children.

As odd as it sounds, the Panther Solo technically replaced the Kallista, in that the latter was discontinued to free up workers for the former project. And yet the two couldn’t be more different. One was a small sportscar with lines evoking the 1930s, a halfway house between a kit car and a Morgan. The other was a mid engined supercar with Cosworth power, an aluminium shell and all wheel drive. Solo had actually begun as an attempt to take on the MR2 market, with Ford CVH power, two wheel drive and a smaller two seater body. However, in the wake of the launch of the second generation MR2 Panther’s owner, Y. C. Kim, decided that the Solo would be unable to compete, and shifted the focus of the project toward a larger grand tourer. This, instead of using the Fiesta XR2 as a basis for its mechanical parts, would use the drivetrain of the larger Sierra Cosworth.

The four wheel drive system, in the end, was not lifted directly from Ford. It was to be a Ferguson design adapted to take Sierra XR4x4 components, using a chain driven transfer box which would earn itself a reputation for unreliability under load. The suspension was in part derived from the Escort, while the ABS system was lifted from the Granada Scorpio. Priced to take on the Porsche 911 C4 and the Lotus Esprit Turbo, early reviews suggested that more power would be needed if it were to be a fair fight against these two. Given its weight, its power to weight ratio was a good third behind the Lotus at 155bhp/ton.

Solo production ceased in 1990. Chassis no 32 was the final car, but it’s known that Panther skipped some chassis numbers to appear as if more cars had been produced. The best guess as to a total is 25 cars.

Beside the lack of power the driving experience is mixed. Weighty controls and steering that responds poorly to tramlining meant that many journalists in period were deterred from exploring its high level of grip. It also loads up under lock. But driving the Solo slowly misses the point – and the harder you push, the more you realise that when driven properly the Solo is a delight. Skinny tyres mean it’s poised without sacrificing grip, and the feedback from the steering means that if you’re pushing wide in a corner you can calculate the precise moment at which to back off. And backing off doesn’t mean disaster as with so many mid engined cars, instead the Solo remains controllable. It’s too good to play with properly on a road, but set new standards on track. The first four wheel drive road car with a mid engined layout also happened to be one of the best.

With so much of the mechanical side coming from the Ford parts bin, the Solo shouldn’t be a difficult car to own. Panels will obviously be difficult – given the rarity of the cars, they’re not an off the shelf item – but if you have the budget it’s feasible to produce such items from scratch. We don’t feel that anyone interested in a Solo will care about the availability of minor trim, as anything can be made on a one off basis. But the Panther Car Club remains your best bet for finding spares.

There are just 11 Solos left in the UK of the production run, which nobody believes ever exceeds 25 cars. Frankly, it’s not about which cars will hold value best, as any Solo will always have a surfeit of potential buyers. It’s about finding any example, and membership of the Panther Car Club is your best bet.

Few other cars will offer the exclusivity of the Panther Solo. If you want a GT of the era which retains the rarity factor, the Renault GTA Turbo may well be worth a look, though its rear engined nature is perhaps closer to the Porsche 911. Likewise the mid engined MVS Venturi, which shares the Renault’s PRV engine. If the drivetrain of the Solo is what appeals most, maybe consider a Ford Sierra RS Cosworth or Ford Escort RS Cosworth as alternatives, but these are less supercar and more working class hero.