FIRST LOOK: God of the wind
The stunning huayra is set to replace the zonda while sticking to the same hypercar stance and amg-fed power.
- Mama mia, what a gorgeous-looking supercar!
When it comes to style, nothing beats the Italians. What you see here is the Huayra, the all-new replacement for the Zonda hypercar from Italian exotic carmaker Pagani. It is due to make its world premiere at the Geneva motor show early next month.
Despite its familiar profile, gull-wing doors and other design cues, the Huayra is brand new with new body parts which are mostly made from carbon fibre.
The interior is also stunning, right down to the smallest detail. A picture's worth a thousand words so just take a look at the photos on this page.
- Truly awesome. But that comes at a price, right?
Definitely. With so many bespoke parts that don't seem to be shared with any other car on this planet, the Huayra will cost around 1 million. That translates to over 120 million baht in Thailand, including tax.
Let's not forget that Pagani is an extremely low-volume maker of sports cars. Slightly more than 100 of the Zonda predecessor (see sidebar) were made during its 10-year lifecycle. Just imagine what its price would be if Pagani hadn't approached Mercedes-Benz for AMG power.
- And what's the Huayra's performance like?
Pagani hasn't been exact with the figures. All it says is that the mid-engine Huayra's got a 6.0-litre twin-turbo V12 (as used in the CL and S classes AMG) that generates "over 700hp and 1,000Nm".
Combine this with a dry weight of 1,350 kilos and a seven-speed automated manual (as in Lamborghini's forthcoming LP700 Aventador; not the smoother twin-clutchers used by Bugatti, Ferrari and Porsche), and the Huayra can go from 0-100kph in 3.3sec - or so the maker claims - and reach a top speed of 370kph.
And we aren't talking about the rumoured Sport package, which takes outputs further up to 730hp and 1,135Nm.
- Hmm ... isn't a Bugatti quicker?
Spot on. The Veyron is still the performance king when you consider that its 1,200hp 8.0-litre quad-turbo W16 (in Super Sport trim) holds the 2.5sec and 427kph records.
But let's not forget that, like the Veyron - which would retail in excess of 150 million baht on these shores - the Huayra won't be sought after merely for its performance. It's the entire package - plus its exotic-brand appeal - that will assure it a place in any collector's car museum.
The Veyron was put on display at one motor show here two years ago, while the Koenigsegg CCR can now be ordered on the Thai grey market (although pricing is kept secret due to how the deal will be sealed).
As interior designs go, there’s nothing comparable out there.
- That Lambo is starting to sound cooler ...
Ah, we seem to be talking to a serious aficionado here.
True, the LP700 Aventador is going to be another interesting Italian hypercar to launch in Geneva, especially when you consider the confirmed details like the 700hp 6.5-litre V12 and 2.9sec 0-100kph time.
Like Pagani, Lamborghini believes that automated manual gearboxes yield a more sensational driving performance and are substantially lighter than their dual-clutch counterparts.
And, crucially, with an asking price in the region of 40 million baht here, the Lambo will cost about two thirds less than the Huayra.
Despite the general shift to green motoring with electrified cars, it appears that rivalry on the supercar scene is still as intense as ever.
Watch this space in coming weeks.
Bi-turbo 7.0-litre V12 gives out 700hp.
The Huayra is strictly for two.
THE BLOODLINE
Pagani's first car came in the shape of the Zonda, back in 1999, and it spawned special editions every year throughout its decade-long existence.
Cinque was last Zonda to be made.
It started out as the C12 which - like the new Huayra - utilised an engine from Mercedes-Benz's AMG unit, but in the guise of the older, smaller 6.0-litre twin-turbo V12, producing 402hp. More powerful variants followed in C12S forms, as well as a roadster body variation.
The most powerful Zonda came in a race-inspired model called the R Clubsport with 750hp on tap and a six-speed automated manual transmission.
Credit: Bangkok Post (www.bangkokpost.com)
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