Horacio Pagani dreamed of an ultra-fast car that would look different - and he turned the dream into reality producing one of the best exotic supercars there is, thanks to its superb handling and massive performance.
Since then, the Pagani has been upgraded twice – the engine being enlarged from 6.0 to 7.3 liters, just in case buyers of the first examples found they didn’t have enough power.
Massive performance
And a massive performer it is: it boasts a maximum speed of 220 mph, and prodigious, neck wrenching acceleration from the 555 bhp 7.3 liter engine. 0-60 in 3.7seconds only tells part of the story, because it isn't easy to get a car off the line cleanly and quickly.
The car certainly looks different, with that wide almost flat, sloping nose, flanked by more steeply rising fenders which each include a pair of lamps in rather unattractive nacelles. The fenders drop sharply down in front of the cockpit, and then you get the more common rising line, which drops down a little to the tail. There are rather ungainly scallops in the bottom of the doors.
Perched on top of this is a narrow coachroof which ducks down ahead of the rear wheels. The overall effect is different, but hardly satisfying to look at. For looks, it just doesn’t compete in my view with its competitors.
Inside it's a different story, as everything is neatly trimmed in leather or carbon fiber, and there is a neat little instrument binnacle in front of the driver. All neat and simple. There is a conventional wide central tunnel to increase strength, and the gear lever and handbrake stick out from these.
You get a few creature comforts such as power assisted steering, and a navigation system, and stability is improved with the aid of ABS and traction control - the latter pretty near essential with that much power and torque.
Well-tried formula for a supercar
Below this carbon fiber exterior are some highly effective mechanical units. Pagani adopted a well-tried formula in designing the C12S, and later the roadster:
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1. Get a really powerful engine and reliable transaxle
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2. Put them in a small, lightweight car with a low frontal area
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3. Use Grand Prix style suspension
Massive engine and transmission
Pagani comes from Argentina, and wanted to dedicate the car to Juan Manuel Fangio, who told him that if he did it would have to have a Mercedes-Benz engine. Pagani therefore persuaded AMG to modify the Mercedes-Benz V-12 for his car.
The 7.3 liter unit is tuned to give plenty of power and a huge amount of torque, so that the car can accelerate at a rate that humbles the opposition from almost any speed. You hardly need a gearbox for road use. Of course, cars like the Ferrari Enzo, McLaren F1 and Porsche Carrera GT can compete.
To take that massive torque, an AP twin-plate clutch is used, and there is a conventional a six-speed gearbox. These come into their own on track days.
As Pagani was aiming to produce a very expensive and exclusive supercar he developed a carbon fiber structure. The tub comprises the cockpit and bulkheads to which steel tubular sub-frames are attached for the steering and front suspension at the front, and the suspension and power train at the rear.
Although carbon fiber is expensive, it is the ideal material for low volume production because the molds on which the tub is produced are cheap to produce compared with those for steel or aluminum pressings.
Racing car suspension
The result is a stiff and lightweight structure, to which the carbon fiber body panels are attached. Of course, the suspension is by double wishbones, made from aluminum to reduce weight, with coil springs and adjustable dampers; these are supplied by Ohlins.
The car has 18 inch wheels, and to get the handling balance right, the Michelin Pilot tires at the front are 255/40 section, while those at the rear are 345/35 section - the rear ones being 35% wider than the fronts. The big brakes are supplied by Brembo.
What sets the Pagani Zonda apart is not just the enormous power the engine produces, and its wide spread of power, but also the way the car steers and handles, and giving the driver feedback as it does so. A true tour de force, and evidence that small companies can still come up with brilliant products, and that the Italians are still a major power in the supercar world.
