The Panther De Ville was a neo-classic luxury vehicle model from Panther Westwinds, the British specialty maker. Offered from 1974 to 1985, the De Ville was conceived by Robert Jankel to appeal to the taste of nouveau riche customers, including singer Elton John and actor Oliver Reed. About 60 De Villes were hand-built, including eleven two-door convertibles (for many years Britain's most expensive listed production car), and one pink and gold six-door limousine.
With a wheelbase of 142 inches (3,600 mm), the tubular-framed De Ville used a straight-six engine or a V12 engine from Jaguar Cars. The flowing wing lines and big headlights of the De Ville were styled to imitate the Bugatti Royale. The cockpit of the De Ville was modern, without the exterior's pretense of pre-war styling.
The Panther De Ville was equipped with Jaguar suspension, power steering and automatic transmission, so it was an easy car to drive and quite quick, although poor aerodynamics tended to keep the top speed low. Interiors were lavish and often featured TV sets and drinks bars. The doors of the De Ville were from the BMC 1800 family car.
A Panther De Ville was used in Disney's 1996 motion picture 101 Dalmatians as Cruella De Vil's car. The Jaguar engine in the car was replaced with a small-block Chevrolet V8. The vehicle incorrectly displayed silver on black number plates. Any vehicle registered in the UK after 1 January 1973 should display reflective yellow/white number plates (see Vehicle registration plates of the United Kingdom#Colour and dimensions) but this model did not enter production until 1974, after the change. The number DEV 1L (if it existed) could be displayed as silver on black, but only if used on a car first used/registered before 1 January 1973.