The IMSA statement reads as follows: The IMSA community is profoundly saddened by the news that its vice chairman, Don Panoz, passed away from cancer at the age of 83. A lifelong entrepreneur, the charismatic Panoz is best known to race fans as the founder of the American Le Mans Series (ALMS) and creator of the famously loud and uniquely styled front-engined Panoz LMP1 racecars. Panoz fell in love with the unique atmosphere at the 24 Hours of Le Mans after experiencing it himself for the first time. Panoz aimed to replicate the spirit of Le Mans, its unique rules and regulations while adding his own fan-friendly atmosphere, first through the creation of a “one-off” event at Road Atlanta, the 10-hour or 1,000-mile Petit Le Mans, which debuted on Oct. 11, 1998. The overall winners of that inaugural race were Eric van de Poele, Emmanuel Collard and Wayne Taylor. Buoyed by the success of Petit Le Mans, Panoz founded the ALMS, a series of races throughout North America on ...
When we think of dream cars, our minds often race to sleek designs, innovative technology, and that unmistakable feeling of pure, unbridled passion. The GM-X Stiletto encapsulates all of these elements and more, making it a worthy contender in our top ten list. Ranked at number nine, this concept car from 1964 remains a beacon of automotive ingenuity and a symbol of a bygone era that continues to inspire. A Journey Back to the Jet Age To fully appreciate the GM-X Stiletto, we must travel back to the 1950s and '60s, a time when America was captivated by the future. The jet-age was in full swing, and cars were designed with a sense of bold optimism. Under the visionary leadership of Harley Earl and Bill Mitchell, General Motors created vehicles that mimicked the sleek lines and advanced technologies of jet aircraft. The GM-X Stiletto, born in 1964, was a product of this era's boundless imagination. The Visionary Design The GM-X Stiletto was first unveiled at the 1964-1965 World’s...