Robert Jankel

Born in London on 1st January 1938, Jankel was educated at St Paul's School, he enjoyed sport especially rowing.

In 1972, Jankel left the fashion industry to found motor company Panther Westwinds in Weybridge, Surrey, England.

Although the asking price for the J72 was around twice that of contemporary Jaguar models, magazine advertisements generated enough interest for Jankel to produce one J72 a week during the car's production.

In 1974, Jankel produced the Panther De Ville, powered by a Jaguar engine and modelled after the Bugatti Royale.

[2] The Panther 6, a two-seater roadster outfitted with six wheels, followed in 1977, but because of its high cost (US$96,000[3]) and unconventional design, only two were produced: one black and one white.

The Lima was styled like a 1930s roadster but used modern fibreglass technology for the body, which was built around a steel framework and chassis.

For Range Rover, he built a number of specialist hunting and all-terrain vehicles for Middle Eastern customers.

Most of Jankel's work from the 1990s to his death in 2005 was dedicated to building police vehicles, high-protection armoured cars and exotic luxury stretch limousines.