When Jeff contacted us to ship his stunning 1979 Panther De Ville from the UK to his home in the USA, we were more than happy to help. The USA is one of our most popular car shipping destinations, and whilst we knew what a rare vehicle the Panther De Ville is, at the time we had no idea of this particular model’s (in)famous previous owner.
The Evolution of the Panther Westwinds Car Company: From the Panther J72 to the Kallista Convertible
The story goes, when fashion designer Rob Jankel sold a classic 1930 Rolls Royce that he had rebuilt in 1970 to a bullfighter in Spain for £10,000 he decided to found an automobile company. He had built his first car in 1954, but up to this point, he was unsuccessful at selling any of the cars that he had worked on. This automobile company was The Panther Westwinds Car Company.
With the name Panther being taken from the iconic British car manufacturer, Jaguar, and Westwinds coming from the name of the Jankel family home, the company’s first foray into car manufacturing was the Panther J72. Taking inspiration from Jaguar’s SS100, the 2-seater Panther J72 was produced in the factory in Weybridge from 1972 to 1981.
The J72 was followed in 1974 by the Panther FF, another 2-seater with a 4-litre V12 Ferrari Colombo engine. With a real leather interior, there were only 7 of these models built between 1974 and 1975, unfortunately, the Panther FF was a commercial failure, partly it would seem due to the high asking price of £13,500 which was almost double that of its predecessor.
More Panther models followed, such as the Lazer, Croisette, Brooklands and a completely bonkers 6-wheeled supercar called the Panther 6, of which only 2 were made. Panther Westwinds went bankrupt in 1980 and was bought by Korean company Jindo Corporation, restarting the production of the J72, De Ville, and Lima models.
In 1982 the company started production of the Kallista, a new two-seater that was based on a Ford Chassis with an aluminium body. Produced in Byfleet from February 1983 until January 1984 when production was moved to the Brooklands racetrack. In 1987 the company was sold to SsangYong, and a new factory for the Kallista convertible was opened in Harlow Essex, where production continued until April 1988.
When SsangYong got into financial difficulties in 1999, it was absorbed into Daewoo, and in 2001 Rob Jankel bought the Panther name back and was designing a new sports car in 2005 when he died.
Panther De Ville: The Ultimate Handcrafted Luxury Vehicle
Produced between 1974 and 1985, around 60 De Villes were handmade and were known for being expensive, with the convertible being listed as the most expensive production car in Britain for many years. The De Ville had a wheelbase of 142 inches and was powered by either a Jaguar straight-six or a V12 engine. The exterior was designed to resemble the Bugatti Royale, with flowing wing lines and large headlights.
Inside, the De Ville had a modern cockpit despite the pre-war styling of the exterior. It was equipped with Jaguar suspension, power steering, and automatic transmission, making it easy to drive and relatively quick. The speed was limited, however, by poor aerodynamics. Due to the De Ville’s stylish exterior and luxurious interior, often including TV Sets and drinks bars, they appealed to the rich and famous of the time.
Famous Owners of the Panther De Ville: From Elton John to Cruella De Vil
The extravagant Panther De Ville attracted a certain type of owner. Famous owners include the singer Elton John, Boxer George Foreman, the Shah of Iran, French singer Johnny Hallyday and sharer of the famous moniker, one Cruella De Vil!
In the original animated film, Cruella drove a custom black and white 1974 Panther De Ville Saloon, which was similar in styling to the car she drove in the original book. In Disney’s 101 Dalmatians in 1996 and the subsequent 102 Dalmatians 4 years later, Cruella also drove a Panther De Ville, and again in 2021 for the film Cruella in 2021, when a Chevrolet V8 engine replaced the Jaguar engine.
Another famous De Ville owner was British actor and infamous hell-raiser, Oliver Reed. Appearing in diverse film roles such as the Hammer gothic horror franchise, the 1968 Oscar-winning musical “Oliver!” and Ridley Scott’s “Gladiator”, he was known as much for his private life as he was his acting. He’s pictured above with his Panther De Ville, which was made for him in 1979 and included a larger boot to accommodate a fridge and a shotgun case along the back seat.
Mr. Reed also had his army rank and number stamped on the car’s radiator cap, from National Service. This was said to be so that he could visit a local pub frequented by retired officers, who would turn in their everyday cars. When any of these retired officers asked who the ostentatious Panther De Ville belonged to, the lower-rank soldiers would delight in informing them that it belonged to “Corporal Reed, Sir!”
Owning a Panther De Ville in the US: A Dream Made Possible with International Shipping
Yes, you’ve guessed it. The Panther De Ville that we shipped for Jeff to the USA from the UK is none other than the one previously owned by the infamous Oliver Reed.
Jeff tells us that he thinks Oliver Reed “sold the car around 1984, it’s had maybe 4-5 different owners before me. The last owner replaced the 1979 jaguar V12 engine with a 1995 Jaguar V12 engine. I wanted a ‘classic gangster car’ for years and discovered the Panther De Ville while watching the movie ‘Cruella’. Turns out they are impossibly rare, only 58 were ever made. I found the car available last May; test drove it outside of London in June”
Luckily for Jeff, once he had found his ‘classic gangster car’, Autoshippers were on hand to help with the shipping process. “You guys shipped it in July to Galveston Texas where, after it cleared Customs, it was shipped to my parent’s house in Reno, Nevada. They didn’t even know it was coming!”
Jeff’s Panther De Ville was shipped to the USA using our Ro-Ro (Roll-on Roll-off) service, which offers regular shipping utilising specialist vessels that enable vehicles to be driven on to load (and off again to unload). This service is used by vehicle manufacturers worldwide, as well as private individuals and is a safe and reliable way to ship cars from country to country.
Jeff is very pleased that he finally has his dream car with him in the USA, and has plans for it “It’s only the 8th De Ville in the United States. After some minor, yet very time-consuming mechanical fixes, the car is finally operable and in my garage in Nevada. I may decide to store it (when not driving it) at the National Automobile Museum which is also in Nevada.
Get Your Dream Vehicle Shipped with Autoshippers – Request a Quote Today
If you have found your dream vehicle, and need it shipped, then Autoshippers are here to help. Just fill out our easy-to-use quotation form (on this page) and our dedicated and knowledgeable team will give you all details on the cost, and the process, of car shipping. Alternatively, you can call us on +44 117 982 8123 / 0800 389 0784 or e-mail us at sales@autoshippers.co.uk giving us details of the type of vehicle and destination.
It’s not just classic cars, we also ship SUV’s (specialising in Land Rovers) Motorbikes, Vans or anything else on wheels! Get in touch, we are happy to help.
