Panther De Ville

Manufacturer	Panther Westwinds Ltd
Class	Luxury Car
Production	1974 to 1985
Produced	60
Assembly	Weybridge, England UK
Body style	4-door saloon, 2-door coupé,2-door convertible, 6-door limousine
Layout	FR layout
Engines	(Jaguar) 4.2 L XK6 ,5.3 L V12
Transmission	3-speed Borg-Warner 12J automatic and later 4-speed automatic
Wheelbase	142.0 in (3,607 mm)
Length	204.0 in (5,182 mm)
Width	71.0 in (1,803 mm)
Height	61.0 in (1,549 mm)
Curb weight	4,360 1b, 1,977 kg
Designer	Robert Jankel

The Panther De Ville is an Luxury automobile by British car manufacturer Panther Westwinds, which was produced in small numbers by hand from 1974 to 1985. 

History

The neo-classic style is based on the design of the 1930s. Robert Jankel, the owner of Panther Westwinds, was clearly inspired by the Bugatti T41 "Royale". However, the Deville is not an accurate copy of the original, but represents a very free interpretation of this version with aluminium coach built body on ladder tube chassis.

The De ville rests on a ladder tube chassis that Panther developed specifically for this larger vehicle. The drive technology comes largely from Jaguar; this applies to the engine as well as to the automatic transmission and other components. Both the 4.2-litre six-cylinder and the 5.3-litre twelve-cylinder with octane rating of 97RM carburettors: 4 Stromberg with 2 S.U. electric reciprocating fuel pump and AUF406 and oil filter: Tecalemit full flowfrom Jaguar were available; the six-cylinder, however, was far more widespread. The use of Jaguar engineering necessitated a prominent bulge on the right-hand side of the bonnet, which was detrimental to appearance but unavoidable in terms of engine placement.

Most De Ville models were produced as four-door sedans. The saloon/sedan had 4 doors 4 seats, separate front seats, reclining backrests with built-in headrests, leather upholstery, felt head lining; deep pile carpet floor covering,tinted glass, electrically-heated rear window electrically-controlled windows, air-conditioning. and optional electrically-controlled sunshine roof. water valve type with thermostatic control interior heater inertia reel safety belt  
Triplex laminated windscreen; Flihtkote underseal underbody protection; Frigiking air conditioning screw cantilever type jack; 4 jacking points.

There were also individual specimens that were built as a two-door coupe and as a cabriolet. The passenger compartment of the four-door sedan was taken over by the Austin 1800 "Landcrab" this can be seen in the wide doors that were characteristic of this model (and some other derivatives). On the other hand, the doors of the coupé came from the Jaguar XJC with also Jaguar suspension with independent, wishbones coil springs, anti-roll bar, telescopic dampers and at the rear independent, wishbones (trailing links), 4 coil springs transverse linkage bar, 4 telescopic dampers.The power steering and early cars had the Borg-Warner 12J automatic transmission the final drive a Salisbury hypoid bevel with Powr-Lok limited slip differential and 3.31:1.Also fitted with 6" wide Avon safety wheel, 6JK in. wide steel 15" rims with Avon SP sport/radial ply tubeless tyres: 235/70 VRx 15 and Girling dual circuit discs all round, ventilated at front with Girling supervac 100 servo.

A total of 60 Deville’s was built between 1974 and 1985, 46 as sedans and 11 as convertibles. One example was produced in 1984 as a stretched six-door sedan; The customer was a prince from Malaysia A Stretched De Ville The De Ville commissioned by Prince Sualman of Malaysia and finished in his colours is the last to be built and the largest 3 ft longer than the original. Of Its 6 doors. 4 give access to the finely-trimmed rear compartment with TV-video drinks cabinet and caw-conditioning controls The bonnet opens Vintage-style to reveal a 6-cylinder Jaguar XK engine and reflects the 18 ct gold eagle perching on its front. At the time the car was Britain's most expensive listed production Interiors often featured a TV and found celebrity owners such as singer Elton John and actor Oliver Reed fitted with the inevitable drinks bar.

PERFORMANCE

• V12
  max speed: 128 mph, 206 km/h
  max power (DIN): 253 hp at 6,000 rpm
  max torque (DIN): 302 1b ft, 41.7 kg m at 3,500 rpm
  max engine rpm: 6,500; 47.3 hp/l
  power-weight ratio: 17.2 lb/hp, 7.8 kg/hp
• 6 cylinders
  max power (DIN) 190 hp at 5,000 rpm
  max torque (DIN) 200 1b ft, 27.6 kg m at 2,000 rpm

The Panther De Ville in film 

In the (live-action) Disney's 1996 film 101 Dalmatians, Glenn Close as Cruella de Vil drove a two-door, black-and-white Panther De Ville convertible The engine in the car was replaced with a small-block Chevrolet V8 for a louder sound for the film.

In the 1979 British feature film The Golden Lady, private agent Julia Hemmingway, played by Christina World, drives a dark blue Panther De Ville.