logo
Used Panoz Esperante Could Be Your New Racecar

Used Panoz Esperante Could Be Your New Racecar

Yahoo04-02-2025
Read the full story on Backfire News
If you've been looking for a racecar, whether for serious competition or just some fun track days, this used 2003 Panoz Esperante could be the ticket. A lot of people either have never heard of Panoz or have forgotten about its existence, so when we ran across the listing for this car, we thought it was interesting enough to put out in front of everyone for their consideration.After all, when you show up for track day you'll stick out among all the Corvettes, BMWs, Miatas, and such. Plus, you get a legitimate performance vehicle, not just something that looks fast but is a turtle.
The seller says this Esperante has a 351 Windsor V8 built by Tristar Engines, which has only about four hours of use so far. Even better, the Tremec 6-speed transmission rebuilt by Walter Motorsports has only been broken in, that's it. The shocks are even fresher, with zero time on them since being rebuilt by Penske.
Underneath that properly sporty body draped with red paint and decals is a tube frame chassis. This car was built for track duty, after all.
Lest any of you who aren't familiar with Panoz think overwise, the company isn't Italian but instead is American. It launched as a boutique sports car brand in 1989 but has invested heavily in motorsports, including constructing racecars like this one.
Sure, it's not a Ferrari or a Porsche, but this Esperante is being sold for $28,500 so take that into consideration. What other legit racecars are you going to be looking at in that price range?
According to the listing, the seller is including spare wheels and tires. But is this the racecar you're needing at the moment? If so, you might want to act fast before it's gone.
See this car's listing here.
Images via Casey Carden/Facebook Marketplace
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Oof: NASCAR Driver Connor Zilisch Biffs It On Victory Lane
Oof: NASCAR Driver Connor Zilisch Biffs It On Victory Lane

Yahoo

time4 days ago

  • Yahoo

Oof: NASCAR Driver Connor Zilisch Biffs It On Victory Lane

Read the full story on Backfire News By now a lot of people have seen the video of NASCAR driver Connor Zilisch falling off his car on Victory Lane. After biffing it headfirst into the ground, it seems like he knocked himself out as people rushed to his aid in what should have been a moment of the footage, you can see his foot slipped, maybe from the champagne spraying around or maybe from the netting he was standing on, with that foot falling inside his car. The result was he fell and was unable to get a foot under him. The impact broke his collar bone. But the driver said CT scans of his head showed no damage there, which is the bigger concern by far. Now, the big question is will the broken collarbone keep Zilisch from racing for a time? With six victories under his belt so far this season, the young driver is red hot, so we'd hate to see him lose a beat. The last time Zilisch missed a race was after his big crash at Talladega when he suffered a back injury. He has two weeks to get healthy enough for Daytona on August 22, so perhaps he will continue vying for the championship. This whole incident is a great metaphor for life. Oftentimes your big victories, your highest highs, are followed by some catastrophic lows. But we think this isn't going to be the only high in Zilisch's career, so he better be careful in the future. We fear this incident might lead to NASCR overreacting and banning some of the celebratory traditions of the motorsport. Hopefully that isn't what happens, but with how things have been going the past several years, or maybe about two decades, we just wouldn't be surprised. Image via BenTheBaneDavis/X

Pro Driver Says Corvette ZR1 Could've Gone 10 Seconds Faster at Nürburgring
Pro Driver Says Corvette ZR1 Could've Gone 10 Seconds Faster at Nürburgring

Yahoo

time05-08-2025

  • Yahoo

Pro Driver Says Corvette ZR1 Could've Gone 10 Seconds Faster at Nürburgring

Pro Driver Says Corvette ZR1 Could've Gone 10 Seconds Faster at Nürburgring originally appeared on Autoblog. Detailed lap analysis reveals where the ZR1 went wrong The Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 and ZR1X just set new Nürburgring records for American sports cars, toppling the much more expensive Ford Mustang GTD in the process. It's a staggering achievement, but YouTube personality and Nürburgring expert Misha Charoudin believes the Corvettes could've set significantly faster times. This is a guy who races professionally for Bilstein and lives on the Nürburgring's doorstep, so he knows more than most about what these cars are capable of. In a lengthy new video, he explains why the ZR1 could've been so much faster—here are the highlights of Charoudin's analysis. A Pro Driver Would've Made A Huge Difference As we already knew, Charoudin pointed out that Chevy used its own engineers to set the lap times for the ZR1 and ZR1X. Although these are experienced drivers with a deep understanding of how to extract the most from the Corvettes, we suggested that pro drivers could set even better lap times. Charoudin agreed, but we did not expect him to predict that a whole 10 seconds could be shaved off the Corvette's time. At this level, 10 seconds is an eternity. Charoudin closely analyzed the lap of the Chevy engineer driving the ZR1, saying that his 'conservative safety margins' increased the lap times. He also demonstrates how Chevy's driver stayed away from the track's curbs, which lengthens the distance the car has to cover. Pro drivers also tend to brake later as they approach corners, while their minimum speeds through corners are typically higher than what Charoudin saw in this ZR1 lap. 'With someone who is more comfortable with the car… [a sub-six-minute-and-40-second time] is relatively easy and possible, I would say,' said Charoudin. 'Maybe they've already done a lap time with a pro driver, and will release it later, when they find it necessary.' Charoudin's Prediction Would Move The Corvette Way Up On The All-Time List Assuming Charoudin's assessment is accurate, a Nürburgring lap time of just under six minutes and 40 seconds would place the Corvette ZR1 at the number 2 spot on the all-time list, behind only the Mercedes-AMG ONE (06:29.090). It would overtake the Mercedes-AMG Black Series, Porsche 911 GT2 RS MR, and Porsche 911 GT2 RS Manthey Kit. Remember, too, that Charoudin's assessment is based on the ZR1, not the even more powerful ZR1X. If the latter is also 10 seconds faster in the hands of a pro driver—its current record is 06:49.275 minutes—it would be an even greater achievement, but it still wouldn't be enough to conquer the Mercedes. Perhaps Charoudin is right and Chevy has already done a lap time with a pro driver, ready to unleash the new time as soon as Ford responds which, according to Ford CEO Jim Farley, looks likely. It's worth watching Charoudin's full analysis to see all the small yet significant details that distinguish a pro driver from a really good Driver Says Corvette ZR1 Could've Gone 10 Seconds Faster at Nürburgring first appeared on Autoblog on Aug 5, 2025 This story was originally reported by Autoblog on Aug 5, 2025, where it first appeared.

Classic Chrysler Proves It's Tougher Than Modern Cars
Classic Chrysler Proves It's Tougher Than Modern Cars

Yahoo

time17-07-2025

  • Yahoo

Classic Chrysler Proves It's Tougher Than Modern Cars

Read the full story on Backfire News A classic Chrysler New Yorker that was rear-ended by a modern car demonstrated they don't make them like they used to. The owner took to social media to share the aftermath of the crash, which shows the front end of the newer vehicle demolished and the classic taking seemingly no the old Chrysler lost its rear license plate and the plastic holder. But the bumper and everything else on it looks just fine. But the other car, which is something like a Dodge Dart or Toyota Corolla – it's really hard to tell at this point – had its front end crumpled like an accordion. We know newer vehicles are designed with crumple zones, so the modern sedan did what it was supposed to. That keeps the energy from the impact reaching the people inside the vehicle, at least to a point, reducing the likelihood of injuries. But the owner of the Chrysler doesn't mention even a sore neck or back from the collision. Instead, the Facebook post about the crash reads as follows: 'So, how's your day going ? I was just driving home from company picnic… Cop said 'they don't make them like they used to..' when he saw the 'damage' on my 1973 Chrysler New Yorker : the license plate fell off.' People had plenty of jokey replies to the post about the Chrysler 'eating' the other vehicle or the modern car being the New Yorker's crumple zone. However, some believe the photos are some sort of 'setup' to make it look like the classic car wasn't damaged in the crash that creamed the other ride. We suppose they believe this is some conspiracy of the classic automobile industry or some such nonsense. But we know from experience the right modern trucks and SUVs would've held up similarly to the classic Chrysler. Part of it has to do with how the vehicle is constructed. If you know, you know. Images via Detroit's Forgotten Wheels/Facebook

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store