Panoz LMP-1 Roadster S

1999 Panoz LMP-1 Roadster S

Offered by Bonhams | Carmel, California | August 18, 2023

Photo – Bonhams

The insane front-engined Panoz Esperante GTR-1 put Panoz on the map, and once that class was eliminated from FIA GT competition, Panoz re-tooled and came up with the LMP-1 Roadster S. Then they also founded the ALMS so they had somewhere to race it in the U.S.

It looks like an open-cockpit GTR-1, and it kind of is. They were powered by a 6.0-liter Ford-based Elan V8 that made 620 horsepower. This particular car is without an engine. It is chassis #002, and its competition history includes:

  • 1999 24 Hours of Le Mans – 11th (with Johnny O’Connell, Jan Magnussen, and Max Angelelli)
  • 1999 Petit Le Mans – 5th (with O’Connell, Magnussen, and Memo Gidley)

Those are some grade A late-90s/early-00s endurance racing names. These Panoz prototypes are LOUD – you know, when they have an engine. And this one would be welcome at most historic racing events. It has an estimate of $350,000-$550,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $428,500.

The Last Four Champ Car Champions

The Last Four Champ Car Champions

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | ???? | October 29, 2022


2004 Lola-Cosworth-Ford B01/00

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

The McDonald’s-liveried Champ Cars of Sebastien Bourdais are some the final iconic cars from that era of American motorsport. Campaigned by Newman/Haas Racing, the cars would clinch four consecutive championships with Bourdais and propel him to Formula 1.

2004 was the first season after they dropped the CART name. Officially, it was called the Bridgestone Presents the Champ Car World Series Powered by Ford. The Lola B02 chassis made up most of the field (the rest were Reynards). Every car was powered by a turbocharged 2.65-liter Ford-Cosworth XFE V8 that could make over 900 horsepower and rev to 15,000 rpm.

This chassis was initially delivered to Newman/Haas in 2001 and used that season. It was then placed into storage before being pulled out and updated for the 2004 season. The competition history for this chassis, 01-14, includes:

  • 2001 Grand Prix of Monterrey – 20th, DNF (with Christian Fittipaldi)
  • 2001 Grand Prix of Portland – 3rd (with Fittipaldi)
  • 2004 Grand Prix of Long Beach – 3rd (with Sebastien Bourdais)
  • 2004 Grand Prix of Monterrey – 1st (with Bourdais)
  • 2004 Grand Prix of Portland – 1st (with Bourdais)
  • 2004 Molson Indy Toronto – 1st (with Bourdais)
  • 2004 Grand Prix of Road America – 1st (with Bourdais)
  • 2004 Las Vegas – 1st (with Bourdais)
  • 2004 Mexico City – 1st (with Bourdais)

Quite the career en route to Bourdais’ first championship. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $168,000.


2005 Lola-Cosworth-Ford B05/00

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

The Lola B05 was Newman/Haas’ 2005 competitor, although they retained the successful B01 just in case. The 900-horsepower, turbocharged 2.65-liter Ford-Cosworth XFE V8 remained unchanged. This chassis, HU 01, achieved the following:

  • 2005 Milwaukee Mile – 6th (with Sebastien Bourdais)
  • 2005 Portland Grand Prix – 2nd (with Bourdais)
  • 2005 Grand Prix of Cleveland – 5th (with Bourdais)
  • 2005 Grand Prix of San Jose – 1st (with Bourdais)
  • 2005 Grand Prix of Denver – 1st (with Bourdais)
  • 2005 Molson Indy Montreal – 4th (with Bourdais)
  • 2005 Surfers Paradise – 1st (with Bourdais)

Add to that: another championship. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $201,600.


2006 Lola-Ford-Cosworth B02/00

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

The Lola B02 was actually the company’s 2002 CART chassis, and that’s when Newman/Haas took delivery of this one. It was updated over the years and used through the 2006 season, which is the specification it is in today.

Again, it is powered by a turbocharged 2.65-liter Cosworth V8. The competition history for this chassis, HU 03, includes:

  • 2002 Grand Prix of Monterrey – 3rd (with Christian Fittipaldi)
  • 2002 Molson Indy Toronto – 3rd (with Fittipaldi)
  • 2002 Grand Prix of Mid-Ohio – 2nd (with Fittipaldi)
  • 2002 Grand Prix Americas – 2nd (with Fittipaldi)
  • 2003 EuroSpeedway Lausitz – 1st (with Sebastian Bourdais)
  • 2003 Cleveland Grand Prix – 3rd (with Bruno Junqueira)
  • 2003 Molson Indy Toronto – 3rd (with Junqueira)
  • 2003 Grand Prix of Denver – 1st (with Junqueira)
  • 2004 Long Beach Grand Prix – 2nd (with Junqueira)
  • 2004 Grand Prix of Denver – 3rd (with Junqueira)
  • 2004 Molson Indy Montreal – 1st (with Junqueira)
  • 2004 Grand Prix of Monterey – 2nd (with Junqueira)
  • 2004 Surfers Paradise – 1st (with Junqueira)
  • 2006 Milwaukee Mile – 1st (with Bourdais)
  • 2006 Grand Prix of Toronto – 3rd (with Bourdais)
  • 2006 Grand Prix of Montreal – 1st (with Bourdais)
  • 2006 Grand Prix of Road America – 3rd (with Bourdais)
  • 2006 Mexico City – 1st (with Bourdais)

Bourdais scooped up the championship in 2006, making it three in a row. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $196,000.


2007 Panoz-Cosworth DP01

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

2007 was the final season of the Champ Car World Series. They had just one constructor: Panoz with their DP01, all of which were powered by a turbocharged 2.65-liter Cosworth V8. Output was up to 950 horsepower.

I think it’s safe to say Bourdais was a championship favorite going into the season. He piloted this chassis in 10 races during the year, including:

  • 2007 Vegas Grand Prix – 13th (with Bourdais)
  • 2007 Grand Prix of Long Beach – 1st (with Bourdais)
  • 2007 Grand Prix of Houston – 1st (with Bourdais)
  • 2007 Grand Prix of Portland – 1st (with Bourdais)
  • 2007 Toronto Grand Prix – 9th (with Bourdais)
  • 2007 San Jose Grand Prix – 5th (with Bourdais)
  • 2007 Belgian Grand Prix – 1st (with Bourdais)
  • 2007 Bavarian Grand Prix – 7th (with Bourdais)
  • 2007 Surfers Paradise – 1st (with Bourdais)
  • 2007 Mexico City – 1st (with Bourdais)

He was pretty dominant in this chassis, and really, throughout his entire Champ Car career. He would win the final Champ Car championship in 2007. You can read more about it here.

Update: Sold $235,200.

Panoz AIV

1998 Panoz AIV Roadster

Offered by Mecum | Dallas, Texas | September 16-19, 2015

Photo - Mecum

Photo – Mecum

Here’s a hot rod for you. This great-looking sports car is a rarity from the state of Georgia. This was one of the models produced by the Panoz Auto Development Company of Braselton, Georgia – home of Road Atlanta, a track also owned by the company (when this was built).

The Panoz Roadster was introduced in 1992 and built through 1995. It looks just like this. But in 1996, it was renamed the AIV Roadster (Aluminium Intensive Vehicle – the first such American vehicle consisting of at least 70% aluminium). It sort of resembles a Plymouth Prowler with it’s half-open wheeler look at the front. The AIV differed from the simple Roadster model in that it has an aluminium chassis, among other things.

The AIV is powered by a 4.6-liter Ford V-8 making 305 horsepower. The car only weighs 2,500 pounds, so the sprint to 60 mph only takes 4.3 seconds on the way to the top end of 140 mph. It’s quick. The final AIVs were built in 1999 (although Panoz will build any car they’ve ever made on demand for customers going forward). Only 176 AIVs were made in their initial production run. They’re a $35,000-$55,000 car. Click here for more info and here for more from Mecum.

Update: Sold $30,000.

Barrett-Jackson: First Half Highlights

Barrett-Jackson’s Scottsdale, Arizona auction is so massive, packed with over 1,000 cars. They roll cars across the stage and hammer them sold starting on a Tuesday and go every day through Sunday. The big cars (like they ones we’ve featured from them) usually go Friday, Saturday, and (to a lesser extent) Sunday. But there are still hundreds of interesting cars that more or less go unnoticed on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. The shadow of million dollar concept cars and ultra-rare muscle cars blots out the shiny patina on the cars of the first half of the auction week. So we present some of the more interesting standouts from the first three days.

First up is this 1981 Pontiac that was used on NASCAR’s road courses in the 1980s. It is a race-winning car having been raced by Tim Richmond, Morgan Shepherd, Richard Petty, and Al Unser Sr. Valvoline-liveried cars have always looked great and with this car’s history (and the fact that it is still being used in historic racing) makes the $25,300 (with buyer’s commission) purchase price seem worth it.

Above is a 1968 Ford Mustang High Country Special – 1 of 251. The High Country Special was essentially a California Special but sold in Colorado. Basically a trim and appearance package and in this case it didn’t do anything for the price, selling for $13,750.

There were also a number of itty-bitty microcars for sale in the first three days. There was a Vepsa 400, some Isettas, and this 1959 Goggomobil TS-250 Coupe. This car is in original condition with a 247cc two-stroke engine that will take this car up to 50 mph. It brought $27,500.

We featured a ’71 Ford Torino GT from Mecum’s Kissimmee auction (which we’ll run down in the next week or so). This is a 1971 Ford Torino GT Convertible and it is awesome. Torinos don’t get the same muscle car love that Mustangs, Mopars and Chevelles get but this might have just become my favorite-looking muscle car. Maybe it’s because I’ve overlooked it for so long – so it looks fresh, but I want it. Too bad I don’t have $37,400 to throw down for it.

One of my other favorites is the 1998 Panoz A.I.V. Roadster. The A.I.V. (Aluminum Intensive Vehicle) was the “new” version of the Panoz Roadster. It features a 4.6 liter Ford V8 making 305 horsepower. It only weighed 2,500 lbs. Plymouth stuffed a V6 in the Prowler. I think of this car as having the performance the Prowler should have. Not necessarily the car the Prowler should have been (the styling of that thing is pretty good). But so is this. It just looks like a blast to drive. Could have been yours for $49,500.

Here’s something you don’t see everyday: a 1968 Mitsubishi J23A Japanese Military Jeep. Actually, you don’t see many 1968 Mitsubishi’s period or any pre-1970 for that matter. Foreign military vehicles are something that don’t appear at American auctions all too often so this would have been an excellent time to pick one up. And for $7,150, you could hardly afford not to.

There were a number of other pre-1970 Japanese classics available. When new, Japanese cars were never perceived as being future classics. Well, that attitude made pristine examples 40 years later relatively hard to find. And restoring a $7,000 car isn’t exactly solid economics. My favorite was this 1972 Datsun 510 Wagon (I like wagons). I should have grabbed it for the $8,525 it sold for.

There are customs-o-plenty at Barrett-Jackson: resto-mods, resto-rods, other things that start with “resto” and rhyme with “mods.” And then there are insane customs. Like this “Hot Rod Hearse:”

If it entered production, I imagine the slogan would be something along the lines of “Be The First Person  to the Graveyard!” It’s pretty crazy but unfortunately it is not street legal. It sold for $17,600.

Classic trucks are becoming quite collectible and auction houses realize this and try and grab the best of them to offer. One make you can never go wrong with is Diamond T. They made mostly commercial trucks but also produced a few pickups for “regular people.” They’re among the best-looking old-school trucks you can buy. Like this 1949 201 that sold for $51,700:

And finally, from the Fun File is this 1931 Ford Model AA Tanker. In Texaco livery, it would make a great static display parked near historic pumps or other automobilia. It’s quite rare but, nevertheless, I recommend driving it – it only cost $44,000.

For complete results, click here.