Vauxhall Equus
The Vauxhall Equus was one two door concept car, which was first presented by Vauxhall in the spring of 1978.[1] The name “Equus” is Latin for “Horse”. It was the last concept car from Vauxhall for twenty five years until August 2003, when the VX Lightning was unveiled as part of the centrepiece to the company’s centenary celebrations.[2]
Vauxhall Equus | |
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Vauxhall Equus (1978) | |
Overview | |
Manufacturer | Panther |
Production | 1978 (one built) |
Designer | Wayne Cherry (design director) |
Body and chassis | |
Class | Concept car |
Body style | 2 door convertible |
Layout | FR layout |
Related | Panther Lima |
Powertrain | |
Engine | 2.3 L (2,279 cc) OHC Vauxhall I4 |
Specifications
The Equus was based on the chassis of the Panther Lima, which itself was based on mechanicals of the Vauxhall Magnum. Panther built the prototype.[3]
Design
The Equus was styled by one small team that was led by Wayne Cherry, along with his chief designer, John Taylor. Work started in October 1977, and the car was unveiled at the Birmingham NEC Motor Show in April 1978. The design brief emphasized the use of parts by Vauxhall whenever possible.
It featured an angular wedge design with Vauxhall’s signature “droopsnout” front end, which was initially made popular by the Vauxhall Firenza.[4]
References
- Rees, Chris (13 June 2011). "Cars we should have been sold". MSN Cars. Archived from the original on 19 June 2013. Retrieved 17 June 2013.
- "First Look: Vauxhall Lightning Concept". motortrend.com. 14 August 2003. Retrieved 15 October 2020.
- "Vauxhall Equus – the brave sports car that never made it off the ground". AROnline. 21 May 2017. Retrieved 20 September 2018.
- "Concept Car of the Week: Vauxhall Equus (1978) - Car Design News". 5 August 2016. Retrieved 20 September 2018.