Panoz Esperante: which version to buy and why
If you are choosing a Panoz Esperante, the data set is one generation (2000–2007), one body (Coupe), and three versions — two of them named 4.6 MT. Buy on the numbers: 4.6 MT (420 hp) is the fastest measured car, 5.8 MT is the lightest and the strongest on torque, 4.6 MT (305 hp) is the only version without a compressor. There are no later generations to wait for.
If you are choosing a Panoz Esperante, the data set is one generation (2000–2007), one body (Coupe), and three versions — two of them named 4.6 MT. Buy on the numbers: 4.6 MT (420 hp) is the fastest measured car, 5.8 MT is the lightest and the strongest on torque, 4.6 MT (305 hp) is the only version without a compressor. There are no later generations to wait for.
Specs: three versions, two names
All three sit in generation 1 generation (2000-01-01 to 2007-12-31). Fuel consumption (city, highway, mixed), CO2, eco class, gross weight, and wheel sizes are not measured on every version. Use the table, then the arithmetic.
| Version | hp (kW @ rpm) | Nm @ rpm | Displacement, cc | Fuel | Cylinders / layout | Boost | Gearbox | Drive |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.6 MT (420 hp) | 420 (309 @ 6000) | 434 @ 3500 | 4601 | Gasoline | 8, V-shaped | Compressor | Manual, 6 | RWD |
| 5.8 MT | 445 (327 @ 5850) | 597 @ 4500 | 5766 | Gasoline | 8, V-shaped | Compressor | Manual, 5 | RWD |
| 4.6 MT (305 hp) | 305 (224 @ 5800) | 407 @ 4800 | 4601 | Gasoline | 8, V-shaped | No | Manual, 5 | RWD |
Two rows share the catalogue name 4.6 MT. Separate them by power: 420 hp versus 305 hp. The 420 hp car has 6 gears and a compressor; the 305 hp car has 5 gears and boost No.
Engines: what the extra displacement and compressor actually buy
Power per litre (hp ÷ displacement in litres):
- 4.6 MT (420 hp): 420 ÷ 4.601 = 91.3 hp/L
- 5.8 MT: 445 ÷ 5.766 = 77.2 hp/L
- 4.6 MT (305 hp): 305 ÷ 4.601 = 66.3 hp/L
The smaller 4601 cc V-shaped 8 with compressor is the densest engine. The 5766 cc 5.8 MT makes the most horsepower (445 vs 420, +25 hp, +6.0%) and the most torque (597 vs 434 Nm, +163 Nm, +37.6%), but it is the least dense of the two compressor cars.
Against the naturally aspirated twin, compressor 4.6 MT (420 hp) adds 115 hp (+37.7%) and 27 Nm (+6.6%) at the same 4601 cc, same 4 valves per cylinder, same compression 9.9, same bore and stroke 90.2 × 90, same fuel 95. The compressor is the whole gap on that pair.
5.8 MT versus 4.6 MT (305 hp): +140 hp (+45.9%) and +190 Nm (+46.7%). That is the largest step in the catalogue.
Torque peaks at different revs: 3500 rpm on 4.6 MT (420 hp), 4500 rpm on 5.8 MT, 4800 rpm on 4.6 MT (305 hp). Peak power rpm: 6000 / 5850 / 5800. The 420 hp 4.6 MT is the only 6-speed Manual; the other two are 5-speed Manual. All three are RWD.
Valves: both 4.6 MT cars have 4 valves per cylinder; 5.8 MT has 2. Engine placement is not the same: both 4.6 MT cars are Front, transverse; 5.8 MT is Front, longitudinal. Injection is Distributed injection (multi-point) on all three. Compression, bore/stroke, and fuel grade on 5.8 MT are not measured.
Performance and mpg: measured on two cars, missing on one
0–100 km/h
- 4.6 MT (420 hp): 4.2 s
- 4.6 MT (305 hp): 5.1 s — 0.9 s slower
- 5.8 MT: not measured
Top speed
- 4.6 MT (420 hp): 289 km/h
- 4.6 MT (305 hp): 249 km/h — 40 km/h less
- 5.8 MT: not measured
If the decision is “which Esperante is the fastest in this data,” it is 4.6 MT (420 hp). 5.8 MT has more horsepower and far more torque, but 0–100 and top speed are not measured, so you cannot rank it on those two axes.
mpg / fuel consumption: city, highway, and mixed are not measured for 4.6 MT (420 hp), 5.8 MT, and 4.6 MT (305 hp). Tank is 58 L on all three. CO2 and eco class are not measured on all three. There is no consumption figure that would let you pick a “cheaper to run” version from this catalogue.
Dimensions, weight, and kg per horsepower
Kerb weight, ground clearance, tank:
| Version | Kerb, kg | Gross | Clearance, mm | Tank, L | Wheels |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.6 MT (420 hp) | 1450 | not measured | 130 | 58 | not measured |
| 5.8 MT | 1080 | not measured | 130 | 58 | not measured |
| 4.6 MT (305 hp) | 1450 | not measured | 130 | 58 | not measured |
5.8 MT is 370 kg lighter than either 4.6 MT (1080 vs 1450, −25.5%). Ground clearance is 130 mm on all three. Gross weight and wheel sizes are not measured.
Weight per horsepower (kerb kg ÷ hp):
- 4.6 MT (420 hp): 1450 ÷ 420 = 3.45 kg/hp
- 5.8 MT: 1080 ÷ 445 = 2.43 kg/hp
- 4.6 MT (305 hp): 1450 ÷ 305 = 4.75 kg/hp
5.8 MT is the lightest car per horsepower by a wide margin: 1.02 kg/hp better than the 420 hp 4.6 MT, 2.32 kg/hp better than the 305 hp 4.6 MT. If you buy on mass-to-power and you accept that 0–100 and top speed are not measured, 5.8 MT is the pick.
Power-to-weight in hp per tonne (hp ÷ kerb tonnes):
- 4.6 MT (420 hp): 420 ÷ 1.450 = 290 hp/t
- 5.8 MT: 445 ÷ 1.080 = 412 hp/t
- 4.6 MT (305 hp): 305 ÷ 1.450 = 210 hp/t
5.8 MT has 122 hp/t more than the 420 hp 4.6 MT (+42%) and 202 hp/t more than the 305 hp 4.6 MT (+96%). That is the largest performance-related gap you can compute without inventing a 0–100 time.
Front and rear suspension are Independent, spring on all three. Front brakes are Ventilated disc; rear brakes are Disc ventilated (label as in the data) on all three. Chassis hardware does not separate the versions.
Generations: nothing later changed the choice
There is 1 generation. Years 2000–2007, body Coupe, 3 versions. No restyle is listed as a separate generation. You are not choosing “which generation”; you are choosing among three cars that share the same production window, the same RWD, the same 58 L tank, and the same 130 mm clearance.
Which version to choose
Buy 4.6 MT (420 hp) if you want the only version with a measured 4.2 s to 100 km/h and 289 km/h top speed. It is the only 6-speed Manual. Versus 4.6 MT (305 hp) you gain 115 hp, 27 Nm, 0.9 s, 40 km/h, one extra gear, and a compressor, at the same 1450 kg, same 4601 cc, same Front, transverse layout. Versus 5.8 MT you give up 25 hp, 163 Nm, and 370 kg of lightness, but you keep the only complete sprint/top-speed pair in the data.
Buy 5.8 MT if you want the lightest Esperante and the most torque. 1080 kg, 445 hp, 597 Nm, 2.43 kg/hp, 412 hp/t. It is the only Front, longitudinal engine and the only 5766 cc unit. Trade-offs that are in the data: 5 gears not 6, 2 valves per cylinder not 4, 0–100 not measured, top speed not measured, compression, bore/stroke, and fuel grade not measured. You cannot claim it is faster to 100 km/h than 4.6 MT (420 hp) from this catalogue.
Buy 4.6 MT (305 hp) if you want the compressor-off 4601 cc car. Boost is No. It is the weakest of the three (305 hp, 407 Nm, 4.75 kg/hp, 210 hp/t) and the slowest measured (5.1 s, 249 km/h). Same kerb weight as the 420 hp 4.6 MT, same 5-speed Manual count as 5.8 MT. It is the version to take when you specifically do not want a compressor, not when you want the strongest or lightest Esperante.
Do not choose on mpg, CO2, wheels, or gross weight — those fields are not measured on every version. Do not choose on generation — there is only 1 generation.
Short ranking from the given numbers only:
1. Measured speed: 4.6 MT (420 hp) 2. Mass, torque, hp/t: 5.8 MT 3. No compressor, same 4.6-litre architecture: 4.6 MT (305 hp)
Problems and reliability are not measured in this data set; the choice above is mechanical, not a durability ranking.