Panther Kallista (1982 – 1990) Review
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Panther Kallista (1982 – 1990) At A Glance
Ford Capri running gear meant cheap servicing and repairs, and it was an improvement on the Lima, especially as it was cheaper
Still seen as a bit of an automotive 'bitza'
After financial troubles forced owner Robert Jankel to sell Panther, the marque ended up in the hands of a Korean conglomerate headed by the petrolhead Young C Kim. Under Kim's stewardship, the Lima evolved into the Kallista, and Panther reforcused its efforts into a more accessible end of the market.
Instead of a glassfibre body, it used aluminium over a steel chassis, and the Vauxhall mechanicals were replaced by a series of Ford engines from four-cylinder 1597cc up to 2935cc V6. Surprisingly popular and certainly capable, the Kallista kept the company afloat througout the 1980s while it developed the intriguing mid-engined Solo. Although manufacture came to an end in 1990, the SsangYong Motor Company came back with a badge-engineered version of the roadster (below) in 1992, but a mere 73 were made.
