Don Panoz’s Panoz Abruzzi “Spirit of Le Mans” is a 600HP car limited to 81 examples tied by serial number to a specific running of the race and delivered to the Circuit de La Sarthe. We’re talking about the polarizing design.
Barring any unforseen world wars that’ll put a stop to the event, the 24 Hours of Le Mans will celebrate its 81st running in 2013, and to celebrate the milestone Panoz will be building a new road car dubbed the Abuzzi “Spirit of Le Mans.” Each car will be tied sequentially to one of the runnings at LeMans and its serial number will bear the two digit year of the running and the winning driver’s initials. Each car will be delivered to the home of the race at Circuit de La Sarthe where the new owner will be provided driving lessons on the Bugatti circuit of Le Mans and will be invited to view the race as guests of Panoz and Automobile Club de l’Ouest as well as take a parade lap during the festivities.
The car itself is reminiscent of Panoz LMP and GTR-1 racers of the past and sports an unspecified 600HP engine up front, rear transaxle, a rear-mounted three-stage radiator system, and a unique construction material called Recyclable Energy Absorbing Matrix System. The material is said to be as strong as carbon fiber but lighter, with better impact absorption and more environmentally friendly.
Source: Panoz
