From 1996, Reynard Motorsports worked with Panoz to develop a grand tourer for the 1997 FIA GT Championship. Don Panoz requested the car be based on his Esperante sports car, resulting in a front-engined layout, unlike competitors such as Mercedes-Benz, Lotus, Porsche, and McLaren. This gave the car unusual proportions, including a large nose and a cockpit placed as far back in the body, earning it the nickname “Batmobile”. In 1998, the bodywork was lengthened for increased downforce and handling.
Panoz initially attempted to use a Ford V8 engine, but turned to Roush Racing to construct a 6.0L V8 based on the Ford engine. Panoz’s Élan Power Products maintained and developed these engines. To meet homologation requirements, a single road-legal GTR-1 was built with full interiors and minor modifications, and remains in Don Panoz’s possession, now featuring a smaller 5.3L V8.
In 1998, Panoz reached an agreement with Zytek to develop a hybrid electric motor for the Esperante GTR-1. The resulting Q9 GTR-1 Hybrid, nicknamed “Sparky”, was developed by Panoz, Reynard, and Zytek, with development by David Price Racing. It featured a unique purple paint job with yellow lightning bolts. The idea was to improve fuel mileage by using an electric motor to assist acceleration, reducing gasoline engine load. A regenerative braking system recharged the batteries, recovering energy normally lost as heat.
Zytek’s electric motor, powered by a VARTA nickel metal hydride battery pack, provided 195 hp, representing 30 percent of the hybrid power unit’s approximately 650 horsepower. The battery weighed 220 pounds, and the motor another 35.
Six Esperante GTR-1s were built and split amongst Panoz’s factory team, DAMS, and David Price Racing. The cars debuted at the 1997 12 Hours of Sebring, but failed to finish after 108 laps. David Price’s car debuted at Hockenheimring in the FIA GT Championship, finishing 11th. DAMS’ car debuted at Silverstone, but also failed to finish.
Panoz’s factory team secured their first win at Road Atlanta in a GT-class only event, followed by a 3rd-place overall finish at the 6 Hours of Watkins Glen, two laps behind the winning prototype. Further GT class wins came at Sonoma Raceway and Laguna Seca. Panoz finished second to Porsche in the constructors championship.
In Europe, the Esperante GTR-1 struggled against better-funded factory teams. DAMS scored no points, while David Price finished third at Sebring, earning 6th place in the team’s championship. At the 24 Hours of Le Mans, three GTR-1s were entered but none finished, largely due to engine difficulties; a DAMS car was destroyed by fire, requiring a chassis replacement.
With the evolved bodywork, the program expanded to include the IMSA GT and United States Road Racing Championship for the factory Panoz team, with DAMS continuing in FIA GT and David Price focusing on developing the Q9 hybrid for Le Mans.
In USSRC, Panoz won three of five events, losing the manufacturers championship to Porsche by three points but winning the teams championship. In IMSA, Panoz won seven races, including the rain-soaked Sebring Fall Festival, earning both the constructors and teams championships.
DAMS proved more competitive in Europe, earning points in seven of ten rounds with podium finishes at Hockenheimring and Dijon-Prenois, finishing 5th in the teams championship. The Q9 tested at Le Mans, achieving the 39th fastest time, but was found to be overweight due to the hybrid system, and plans for Le Mans were abandoned. It made a final appearance at Petit Le Mans, finishing 12th overall before the project was cancelled.
The factory Panoz team achieved a 7th-place overall finish at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Panoz decided to move to the Le Mans prototype class due to the increasing exotic nature of GT1 cars. While developing the new LMP-1 Roadster-S, Panoz continued with the GTR-1 in the American Le Mans Series. Two GTR-1s entered Sebring but failed to finish. The LMP-1 debuted at Road Atlanta, and the GTR-1 was retired. The GTR-1’s design formed the basis for the LMP-1 Roadster-S, sharing the same chassis.
In 2003, Panoz ran chassis #003 as a closed-cockpit prototype before switching to the Esperante GT-LM GT2 car. The car was entered in the 1000km of Le Mans by JML Team but did not finish due to electronics problems. It was then purchased by Larbre Compétition, modified, and renamed the Panoz GTP. The modified car debuted at the 2004 12 Hours of Sebring, finishing 9th overall, and appeared at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, retiring early. A final appearance came at Spa-Francorchamps, finishing 14th, before the car was retired.
This article is based on information from the Wikipedia article "Panoz Esperante GTR-1".