Panoz LMP07 - Development

Development

Unlike the Esperante GTR-1 and LMP-1 Roadster-S that had come before, the LMP07 would be designed and built by an entirely new team of manufacturers and designers. Élan Motorsport Technologies would take over from Reynard Motorsport as the main designer and constructor of the car, with Andy Thorby being chief designer. Élan would also turn to Zytek for construction of a custom V8 for the LMP07, replacing the Ford-derived V8 used in the LMP-1 Roadster-S.

Having already established a winning formula with the LMP-1 Roadster-S, the LMP07 can be seen as an evolution of its basic layout. The same font-engine design with a high nose would be retained, while most of the new design elements would be seen in the shallow valleys between the fenders and engine cover, as well as around the cockpit. The LMP07 was designed to attempt to get the car's center of gravity as low as possible in order to improve its handling capabilities.

First and foremost, the shallow bodywork separating the large engine cover and the wheel fenders was redesigned. Instead of a large horizontal edge creating a scoop around the engine, the air would instead be allowed to flow to large vertical intakes placed on either side of the cockpit. This opening up of the area in this valley allowed excess air to better flow out of the back of the car, under its rear wing. To assist in this, large vertical fins were placed on the inside of the fenders, extending off the back of the car to form the rear wing supports. This feature allowed for chassis rigidity, better airflow through the channels, and an improved safety structure. Due to the fins serving as safety structures, this meant that similar structures were not necessary around the cockpit, allowing for even more obstructions in the center of the car to be eliminated, lowering the overall height of the bodywork and further aiding airflow. The cockpit surround was similar to that used on the LMP-1 Roadster-S.

The nose of the car would also be refined, with the NACA duct from the LMP-1 abandoned. Instead, two small porthole intakes would be used, allowing for the bodywork to be closer to the airbox and further lower the height of the bodywork. Brakes cooling was also redesigned, with two large vertical vents cut into the bodywork on either side of the nose, replacing the large gap below the nose that had been used on the LMP-1. At the sides of the car, the complex concave venting of the LMP-1 was simplified for the LMP07, with a large intake for the rear brake cooling being placed in nearly vertical bodywork, and a large square exit vent in front of the rear wheel well for the engine.

The engine for the LMP07 would be a brand new unit built by Zytek. Panoz wished to use a smaller engine in order to bring down the overall weight and center of gravity of the car without major sacrifices to power output. The compact 4.0 litre Zytek units, maintained by Élan, would be lighter and slightly smaller, yet would later be found to lack the power and durability of the older 6.0 litre units.