MORE SPEED, MORE POWER
The Pagani Huayra R may well be a high-tech car disguised as a hypercar
Although the Pagani Zonda R was fast, its successor, Pagani Huayra R, gets even huge power and speed upgrades. This new Pagani car is dubbed as maximus supercarus, Latin for ‘ultimate supercar’ to those of you that didn’t pay attention in Latin class. Horacio Pagani, the builder himself, described it as: “just like the Zonda R, the Huayra R is the freest, most extreme, and performance-oriented Pagani car of all time.”
The Huayra R builds on the Zonda R dexterity and uses another hugeV12. “The new engine had to have the charm, romance, sound and simplicity of the F1 engines of the 1980s, while incorporating state-of-the-art technology available today,” Pagani explained.
The engine on the Huayra R has no hybrid assistance, no turbocharger or supercharger. It’s just 6.0-litres of AMG rage that’s naturally aspirated and slams out an incredible 840bhp.The engine was designed in partnership with HWA Racelab and weighs a light 198kg, but manages to deliver a whopping 553lb ft (750 Nm) of torque and redlines at an almost impossible 9,200 rpm – a speed that would blow an ordinary engine into orbit.
The Huayra R is, in fact, a high-tech racecar that’s disguised as a hypercar.
The mega powerful V12 is mounted directly onto the Huayra R’s monocoque body along with the new Pagani/HWAdeveloped, six-speed gearbox.The monocoque body, also called a ‘structural skin’, is a concept in which loads are supported by an object’s external skin, similar to an eggshell. The car doesn’t have a frame as the shell supports everything. (Monocoque is French for ‘single shell’.) This high-tech shell features advance materials like ‘carbotitanium’ and ‘carbo-triax.’
The company says the monocoque body allows for less flexing and provides more torsional rigidity, which means it will resist bending and twisting. In an ordinary car without this structural reinforcing, the car would be crushed and twisted like a sardine can if you push your foot down on the V12’s accelerator.
Still, even with all the high-tech materials and specifications, Pagani wasn’t satisfied. He wants all his cars to look and feel like they drive. He often harkens back to the racing prototypes of the ‘60s and ‘70s which delivered not just performance but a certain kind of grand elegance, too.
In the mission to deliver something better looking, the team was pleasantly surprised when they discovered the Huayra R has fantastic aerodynamics that allowed the car to slice through the air at speed while at the same time keeping grounded. It’s one of the hazards of racecars – at high speeds they tend to lift off the ground. Car designers often mitigate this problem by using scoops, wings to redirect air pressure downwards and keep the car hugging the road.
To control this beast, there is active suspension with active aero–active shock absorbers along with better bump-steer correction. And to stop it, there are some huge brakes made from carbon ceramics with not surprisingly, massive rotors and pistons.
Unbelievably, the Huayra R weighs a feathery 1,050kg dry.That’s 200kg lighter than a Honda Vezel. Since this car is not a daily driver, and because it’s a track-only product, there’s a full internal roll-cage, fire extinguishers, and lots of occupant protection.
And not to worry, the car meets all FIA GT (Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile) safety standards. All the controls for the traction control, braking, and hi-fi system are incorporated into the quick-release steering wheel, while everything else is placed on the centre console. Naturally, the interior of this hypercar lives up to its name and simply cannot fail to impress both drivers and passengers.
Pagani has decided that they will only build 30 of these incredible machines. If you want one, be sure to place your order now. As to the price, like the saying goes, “If you have to ask, you can’t afford it.” Still, if you are considering owning one of these unique cars do be prepared for some sticker shock.The price of a Pagani Huayra R is estimated to be slightly over S$4m, which is perhaps worth it considering the masterpiece of automotive engineering and excellence you will receive in return.