The Panoz LMP-1 Roadster S Comes to Project Motor Racing

June 04, 2025

The Big Brute That Could

Forget what you think you know about prototypes. In 1999, the Panoz LMP-1 Roadster S showed up on the world endurance stage with a fat V8 up front, the driver’s butt practically on the rear axle, and absolutely no intention of playing by any of the rules.

(Okay, to be perfectly accurate, the driver’s hips and the seat were located just slightly forward of the rear axle line—but the centre of mass for the driver was effectively over the rear axle!)

In a world of slippery mid-engine cars, Panoz threw down an old-school hammer: enormous front tyres, a thunderous V8 over the nose, and a chassis tuned to fight the best. Against Audi’s R8, this front-engine rebel didn’t just survive—it fought like hell and carved out a place in motorsport history and in the hearts of drivers and fans around the world.

The funny thing? Don Panoz didn’t even know that the last 37 editions of Le Mans had been won by mid-engined cars when he asked Adrian Reynard to build his car. Welcome to the world of maverick thinking and engineering genius.

Born Different. Built to Fight.

The Panoz wasn’t just unusual, it was the poster child of brilliant engineering. At its heart was pure American muscle. A 6L Ford-derived V8, naturally aspirated, hammering out 620 bhp at 7200 rpm and 537 ft-lbs of torque. No turbos, no frills—just raw, growling violence.

That beast of an engine sat way up front—almost unheard of for a prototype—feeding a 6-speed Xtrac sequential gearbox. Weight distribution? Almost perfect. Grip? Massive, thanks to giant front tyres planted by the nose-heavy layout. By shoving the V8 ahead of the driver, the Roadster S gained massive front downforce, sublime steering feel, and an unmistakable look that turned heads everywhere it raced.

Built around a carbon-fibre and aluminium honeycomb monocoque, the Panoz Roadster S tipped the scales around 900 kg, giving it brutal acceleration and the balance of a street brawler.

At Le Mans 1999, it impressed right out of the gate. And then it went to ALMS and scored a 1–2 finish at Mosport. Then victory at Portland. And all topped-off by fairy-tale win at Petit Le Mans, defeating BMW on home turf. Three wins, a team championship, and an army of new fans. Not bad for a rookie season.

Under the Skin: Pure Muscle

Engine & Power: 6L naturally aspirated Ford-based, Rousch Racing- built and -tuned, V8, delivering 620 bhp at a screaming 7200 rpm.

Chassis & Weight: Carbon-fibre and aluminium honeycomb monocoque. Weight just under 910 kg.

Aerodynamics: “Batmobile” vibes. Sharp nose with a NACA duct feeding the engine, twin radiator intakes, and that signature short rear end.

Drivetrain: 6-speed Xtrac sequential gearbox, pushing pure V8 fury to the rear wheels—with perfect 50/50 weight balance thanks to that crazy layout.

Going Toe-to-Toe with Legends

The Panoz was a hammer in a world of scalpels—and it hit harder than most.

When the Audi R8 LMP900 rolled in like a machine from the future, the Panoz stood tall anyway. Sure, wins were at a premium against that Audi, but at Portland in 2001, the Roadster S still did the unthinkable—it beat Audi in a straight fight, snapping their 14-race, 15-month winning streak. The Panoz managed to grab another win at Mid-Ohio, scored second in the ALMS championship, and kept hammering away while the rest of the world remained mid-engine and still lost to that Audi monster anyway.

Cult Hero Status

The Panoz didn’t need endless trophies to become a legend, though, because it had soul. It had thunder. Fans loved the way it looked, sounded, and charged into battle. Drivers loved the way it talked through the wheel—drivers like David Brabham, Jan Magnussen, Andy Wallace, Johnny O’Connell, and even Mario Andretti, who strapped himself into the beast for one final attempt at winning the only blue riband event that had always eluded him—Le Mans, in 2000 (DNF).

The Panoz also saw duty with privateer teams around the globe. Panoz Motor Sports ran the factory cars out of Georgia in the US, but others carried the torch in Europe and Japan, like Team Den Blå Avis (Denmark), Team Dragon (Japan), Lanesra (UK), and JML Team Panoz—extending the cult of the Roadster S to audiences worldwide.

Few cars from that era inspire the same kind of nostalgia; the Panoz was the lovable underdog with a big bite.

Built in America. Raced around the world. Loved everywhere it went.

Fire Up the Legend

Ready to feel 600 angry horses shaking the nose as you dive into a corner? Ready to drive the prototype that refused to follow the herd? The Panoz LMP-1 Roadster S is now in Project Motor Racing. And it comes with a lot of beautiful oversteer.

Drive it the way it was meant to be driven—loud, proud, and full throttle. Because this isn’t just another race car.

This is American rebellion on wheels.

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