Starting in 1994 Panoz developed an aluminum chassis for the Roadster. This new chassis would both reduce assembly time (yet 350 man hours were still put into each copy), and reduce weight improving performance. In 1996 a new prototype was unveiled, which differed substantially from the original car. It had an extruded aluminum space frame with a central backbone. Special adhesives were used to attach the frame and body. Equally important, an entirely new drive train was used, the 1996 Mustang SVT Cobra all aluminum, V-8 DOHC 32 valve motor. Consequently, the new Roadster was at approximately 70% aluminum and was dubbed an Aluminum Intensive Vehicle, the AIV Roadster.
