Heir To The Throne

Written by Nicolas Bates

When the Pagani Zonda C9 came onto the supercar scene in early 2000’s, it turned some heads and quickly became one of the most talked about high-end sports cars in the world. Sure, it didn’t have the history, prestige or status of the likes of Ferrari, Lamborghini, or Porsche — but what it did have, was a unique look, great aerodynamics and a plethora of power. The Pagani Zonda C9 (and its subsequent spin-off models) has made its mark on the world, but it is time for a successor. The Pagani Huayra, although, strikingly similar to the Zonda C9, has been redesigned and features thousands of new parts, and is more than worthy of the title of “successor.”

For anyone worried that Pagani has dropped Mercedes-AMG as their engine provider: don’t be. The Huayra will be bolted to the AMG-designed M158 motor — a monstrous twin-turbocharged 6.0–liter V–12 behemoth. The outcome is 700 hp at an astoundingly low 5,000 RPM with near 750 lb–ft of torque. Pagani himself is known for high-class carbon fiber materials, and his cars are known for being equipped with a substantial amount in their design. This being the case with the Huayra, and although it is quite the sizable supercar, it only tips the scales at 3,000 pounds dry — really quite the feat in actuality. The M158 motor, coupled with the Huayra’s extremely light weight, will get the car from 0-62 MPH in what is said to be 3.2 seconds and will give the car a final top speed of roughly 235 MPH. The company XTrac provides the Huayra with a transverse sequential seven-speed gearbox (weighing in at just 211 pounds), which is put through its paces via paddles attached to the steering wheel itself.

The Pagani Huayra is at the forefront of technologically advanced supercars. Substantial time, energy and research have gone in to the creation of this vehicle to make it one of the quickest, yet gentle and most-drivable cars ever to exist. The entirely redesigned monocoque chassis is created from carbontitanium; a choice that was largely made due to the fact that the lightest, yet absolute strongest material had to be used, not only for weight reductions purposes, but also because the Huayra’s gull-wing doors cut into the chassis in such a manner, that rigidity problems may have developed with the use of a sub-par material. Ingenuity and technology have come together to make the V–12 that powers the Huayra not only of the most powerful, but one of the most fuel efficient as well. Pagani has developed a two-stage fuel supply system which features two fuel pumps providing fuel to the motor; however, only the second pump is activated when necessary. The aerodynamic properties of the Huayra are truly state-of-the-art. The Huayra has a variable ride height and four flaps (that act as those do on commercial jetliners) to keep the car as neutral as possible through any condition and/or speed or braking. The flaps act based on information provided by a dedicated control unit while the ride height is adjusted based on data fed from the ABS and ECU units. From Pagani’s press release: “During braking, for example, the rear flaps and the front suspension are raised to counteract the weight transfer and balance the weight distribution between front and rear axles, allowing a better use of the rear brake force.” I think it is safe to say that the Pagani Huayra is a true “ground breaker.”

While Pagani’s cars have been on the road less than decade, they have hastily made a name for themselves within the exotic car industry and with enthusiasts as building some of the fastest, most interesting looking and technologically advanced cars of present time. Who says the new guy can’t set standards the old dogs have to adhere to? Well, if anyone does follow that sentiment, perhaps they should view Pagani’s history. Since the Huayra has been in development for the past 5 years (while the Zonda soaked up all the attention), is it safe to assume the Huayra’s successor is already being mapped out? Regardless of when it’s released, it’s sure to be another absolute brilliant creation. Until then, we have the Pagani Huayra to savor.

For more info go to:
Pagani.com