Ares Project Panther, a Huracan in a Bespoke Suit
The Ares Design Project Panther is a coachbuilt supercar built on the platform of the 2017 Lamborghini Huracan and styled as a modern interpretation of the legendary De Tomaso Pantera. Developed entirely in-house by the Ares Design team led by Mihai Panatescu at their Modena factory, the Panther became one of the most talked-about coachbuilding projects of its era, combining the engineering excellence of Lamborghini with a completely bespoke carbon fibre body.
Design: A Contemporary Pantera
The visual language draws directly from the muscular, long-hood proportions of the original 1971 De Tomaso Pantera. Ares lengthened and narrowed the Huracan's footprint to recreate those distinctive dimensions, wrapping the result in an all-carbon fibre body developed with CFD aerodynamic analysis. Pop-up headlights with full LED technology reference the classic car's era while meeting modern lighting regulations. The result is a car that reads as a period Italian exotic at first glance, with the performance and safety engineering of a current Lamborghini underneath.
Performance: Huracan V10 Under a Bespoke Body
Beneath the custom bodywork sits the Huracan's 5.2-litre naturally aspirated V10, tuned to produce 650 PS (641 hp) at 8,250 rpm and 600 Nm of torque at 6,500 rpm via an ECU remap and a hand-built stainless steel exhaust system. The seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox and Haldex all-wheel drive system are carried over, delivering a 0-100 km/h time of 3.1 seconds and a top speed of 325 km/h. The coachbuilt shell adds visual drama without compromising the performance envelope of the donor car.
A Production Run of 21 Units
Announced initially as "Project Panther" and later formally named the Project1 ProgettoUno at its public debut in 2019, the car was built in a run strictly limited to 21 units, all of which sold before production completed. The interior maintains the retro theme through a classically styled dashboard, bespoke leather and Alcantara upholstery, carbon fibre trim, and aluminium switchgear, alongside a digital instrument panel drawn from the Huracan. Ares also produced a related project, the X-Raid, a coachbuilt Mercedes-Benz G63 AMG with 760 hp, covered separately on this magazine. For deeper coverage, see Carscoops and Motor Authority.
For those who appreciate the V10 engine as an art object in its own right, TheArsenale offers the Lamborghini Huracan V10 Engine Coffee Table and the Lamborghini Gallardo V10 Engine Coffee Table. Explore the full TheArsenale Cars Collection for more rare and bespoke vehicles.
