Before researching this tip sent over by T.J., I had never heard of Panther Westwinds and its predilection for creating retro-classic fiberglass roadsters. The company was founded in Britain in 1972 by Robert Jankel, who trained as an engineer. His first automotive effort was the J72, evocative of Jaguar’s SS100, though broader in the beam. It was built around Jaguar XJ mechanicals but it cost almost twice as much as a contemporary Jag. Still, the car sold some 500 copies. Jankel didn’t particularly require success in order to expand – his fertile mind constantly generated ideas for new cars. Some, like the Lazer, were made in vanishingly small numbers or not at all, remaining assemblages of body parts and mechanical bits. Others, like the J72 and, later, the De Ville (anyone know what famous Disney character drove a Panther De Ville – badly – in what movie?) and the Lima saw production numbers in the tens or hundreds. Today’s Panther Lima Turbo is offered here on facebook Marketplace for $8995; it is located in Stockton, California and you’ll need a trailer for retrieval.

The Lima borrowed its engine from the Vauxhall Magnum – a 2279 cc inline four-cylinder. But the normally-aspirated four produced only about 108 hp, not enough to distinguish the Lima from competitors launched by Morgan, Lotus and TVR. So for model year 1979, Panther reworked the engine to accept an AiResearch turbocharger. Output rose to 150 hp. To rock all that power, the chassis was redesigned. The gearbox is Vauxhall’s four-speed manual. Almost 900 Limas were made, but only thirty of these were turbos. This example has been stored for 37 years, and the seller notes he has not tried to run the car.

Compared to the De Ville – sold to celebrities and bearing Jaguar mechanicals like the J72 – the Lima was a downmarket car, selling for much less. The occasional Vauxhall (owned by GM) dealership would order a Lima for you if you wanted. Other than the more mundane mechanicals, Jankel utilized the center section of an MG Midget to build the Lima’s cabin. Its windshield/doors/vent windows ought to look familiar… The interior is unremarkable in dark plastic, managing to be even less charming than a donor Midget. The color-keyed seat upholstery is a bit kitschy for my taste. The car retains its convertible top and tonneau cover.

While the styling of the front end is reminiscent of a Bugatti, the rear is reminiscent of … nothing. The chunky fenders end unconvincingly in a scallop next to the tail. The spare hangs out in the air as if it’s an afterthought. None of these parts are integrated with the bumper. Panther under Jankel met the first of its many “ends” in 1980 when it went into receivership. The company was purchased by a South Korean company and managed to produce a few new creations before its next crash in 1999. Jankel repurchased the Panther name, and as far as we know, it remains in the family after his death in 2005, begging the question … will there be a sequel?