Enthusiasts of a certain stripe have long loved a certain styling that is most often associated with something between a Caterham and a Morgan. The concept of a lightweight roadster with very little to separate you from the road and the drivetrain may seem like a closeted way to demonstrate your fascination with death, but there’s a more pure reason for why the design of cars like this Panther Kallista roadster here on craigslist is so powerful: it’s the purest expression of a sports car, a sentiment that these days is buried beneath sound insulation and over-engineered center stacks with their own iPad. The Kallista relaied on Ford power, and its modest curb weight meant it could do a lot with very little.

The Kallista was the brainchild of one man who built some very curious automobiles over the course of his career. Robert Jankel founded the company in England and began building cars that were all outside the mainstream by a few degrees. In the case of the Panther, the attempt to create his own sports car at least made sense, as the design of this Kallista is undoubtedly attractive to anyone who has lusted after a Morgan. The design isn’t as pure as one of those and is certainly far heavier in appearance than a Caterham, but there’s little doubt it originated in the UK.

The seller is adamant that this is a not a kit car, and he’s right. These were manufactured on an assembly line like any other mass-produced car, so one would assume the build quality was higher than that of something put together in your garage. The interior certainly has that vibe, with upscale wood trim (or at least very nice fake wood trim) and a sporty three-spoke wood-rimmed steering wheel. The pedals even seem nicely oriented, like someone actually put some thought into where a driver’s feet would most comfortably fall. The black leather seats are adjustable, and the seller notes it has a radio and heat as well – even air conditioning. I wonder if the windscreen is shared with a mass-produced model and easy to come by?

The engine, like all of the later-production Panthers, is a Ford powerplant, clocking in at 2.3 liters. The curious thing about the Kallista of this era is that the body panels were made in Korea and shipped to the UK for final assembly. Concerns about the windshield aside, the seller points out that you’ll have little issue tracking down mechanical components given the engine’s wide use across many different models and eras. Though it is rare, I’m not sure how to assign desirability to a car like this, as the Kallista is fairly obscure by today’s standards. Is there still a following for this unusual sports car, and is $27,500 a fair ask for an oddball like this? Thanks to Barn Finds reader Pat L. for the find.