1983 Panther Kallista - Kallista 1.6

Very early, rare left-hand-drive Panther

First registered in Germany in 1984

With an enthusiast in Austria since 1999

Preserved largely in its original condition

When Panther introduced the Kallista in 1982, the British manufacturer remained faithful to its tried-and-tested recipe: modern mass-production mechanicals wrapped in a body that looked as though it had politely ignored the previous five decades. Long bonnet, separate wings, freestanding headlamps and a neatly cut soft top – the Kallista made no attempt to hide its retro charm.

It replaced the Lima and further developed the same basic idea. Unlike its predecessor, whose body was made of GRP, the Kallista’s bodywork was predominantly aluminium and sat on a steel chassis. Most of the mechanical components came from Ford. Buyers could choose between one four-cylinder and three six-cylinder engines, with outputs ranging from 96 to 150 hp. Thanks to the Panther’s low weight, even the least powerful version had little trouble making suitably brisk progress.

Production was largely by hand, and numbers remained correspondingly modest. Exclusivity here, however, meant less perfection than individuality. The Kallista was not trying to be a Morgan or an MG, and certainly not a modern sports car. Instead, it combined pre-war looks with dependable mass-production mechanicals and a healthy dose of British eccentricity.

This left-hand-drive Panther Kallista, appropriately finished in black and fitted with the 1.6-litre inline four-cylinder, is one of the very early examples. It came from Ireland and was cleared through German customs in March 1984. In June of the same year, its first owner, just 23 years old at the time, registered it in Lower Saxony. After passing through the hands of two further keepers, it was taken off the road by its fourth owner in 1996.

Three years later, its current owner, a Panther enthusiast, brought it to Austria. The Kallista has spent the years since at the summer house by the lake and was regularly driven for as long as its owner’s health permitted. Although the outings became increasingly rare in recent years, it still managed to pass its roadworthiness inspection this year.

It wears the traces of time with considerable charm, having never been restored. That rather suits its eccentric character – long smiled at, perhaps, but now, with age on its side, finally receiving the appreciation it deserves.