Some of Italy’s most revered exotic car manufacturers began with a single man who wanted to do things differently. Such was the case when Enzo Ferrari broke away from Alfa Romeo. It was allegedly the case when Ferruccio Lamborghini had a beef with his Ferrari’s reliability and Enzo’s frosty customer-service philosophy. And that was also how Horacio Pagani got up to speed.
Pagani’s accomplishments, to date, outweigh many of his peers’ entire bodies of work, so here are a few highlights: At age 20, his Formula-3 design hit the track for Renault’s Argentinean racing program. From there, he went to work for Lamborghini and quickly advanced through the ranks, having direct involvement with models like the Countach and Diablo. Beginning in the late 1980s, Pagani set out to build his own supercar, resulting in the Zonda C12, which debuted in 1999. Named for the Andean Mountain wind, the Zonda serves as a tribute to Pagani’s hero and inspiration, the legendary race driver Juan Manuel Fangio. In fact, the Zonda was originally planned to be known as the Fangio F1, though Pagani reconsidered after El Maestro’s passing in 1995.
The latest treat from the manufacturer is the racetrack-only Zonda R model. And it’s time for a closer look (which, unfortunately is a literal term -- somehow the factory isn’t turning rabid journalists loose in them with abandon). We’ll evaluate the Pagani based on its luxury and practicality relative to other ultra-rare, high-dollar supercars, and learn whether it stands as a fitting tribute.
The luxury ride
Any car designed without considering street-legal parameters is probably going to rock -- and rock this does. The $1.2-million, super-limited-run Pagani Zonda R is an extension of the Zonda F, which set stupefying numbers while pulling 1.5 Gs of lateral force around the Nurburgring in September 2007. To be exact, it lapped in 7:27:82 -- that’s good, incidentally. The good times keep rolling with the R, thanks to AMG. That’s because motivation is amply provided through the tuned, Mercedes-Benz, 6.0-liter V12, the same engine found in the racing CLK GTR. At your command is 750 horsepower and 523 lb-ft of torque mounted behind you, but ahead of the rear wheels through a six-speed sequential transmission. Pagani isn’t casually throwing out many more details that would allude to performance numbers, but considering what we already know, further explanation is not really necessary.Whether in coupe or convertible form, the Zonda models all look as good as they perform, which we suspect is an unwritten Italian law of exotics that’s rarely broken. Though similarities come through, Pagani insists there’s only 10% carryover above and beneath the carbon-fiber monocoque from the F. Regardless, the R is one of the best-looking models yet. It’s all business from any angle and reminds us a bit of the McLaren F1 from the side profile -- which is a flattering comparison, but certain parties won’t like hearing it. The F1 was BMW-powered, after all.
Inside the tight cabin, it’s all business once again. If it doesn’t help you go faster, handle better or keep you safe, it’s probably not there. Anyone wishing for a luxury interior and appointments would be better served by another Zonda, in which they’ll find materials and a level of detail to rival premium luxury cars.
The verdict
The Pagani Zonda R inevitably draws comparisons to supercars like the track-only Ferrari FXX based on heritage, intended mission and price, but it really is unique and makes no apologies for it. What’s more, no apologies are necessary.Luxury score: 42/50
The practical ride
We always stress our luxury and practicality scores are relative to the test-car’s peers, but not even that qualifier helps much with the Zonda R. After all, you can’t legally drive it on the street -- and you really wouldn’t want to. We’re not talking about fines -- forget that. Anybody spending seven figures isn’t going to care about getting busted for a lack of plates. Instead, think of how harsh the already firm ride will feel on public roads. Plus, if a minivan of moms mistakes you for a burger-chain mascot and rams your car, it’s going to be a while to replace those custom panels.That said, the R stands to work well on its single-minded mission. We already know the AMG/Mercedes V8 is inherently a tough engine, and Pagani backs up that reputation by claiming the mill is good for over 3,100 miles of track duty before work is required. That’s saying something, considering some cars’ tear-apart regimen is measured in laps.
The verdict
For a car designed with such limited usefulness, you can’t expect high marks on this scale, even against other top-shelf exotics. So, forget running errands in this. Yet for all this capability, it’s touted as being deceptively easy to drive (though presumably, sanity should be your copilot). On top of that, the engine is rock-solid, giving the R moderate numbers on this count.Practicality score: 26/50
and the total is...
While Pagani isn’t naming names, they’ve admitted an R is anticipated to live its life in a customer’s living room, complete with a custom audio system to pump out the sounds of an R on the track. Despite the blessing of Pagani, we must say that royally sucks. This rare performer deserves a better existence than acting as furniture. The remaining 24 examples will hopefully serve their masters as intended at a track near you. And that’s probably as close as you’ll come to one. Sorry, but they sold out instantly. If it’s any consolation, Horacio Pagani has never been one for complacency or sitting still; expect more outstanding rides from this impressive firm in the near future.68/100
Resources:http://www.paganiautomobili.it/
http://www.caranddriver.com/autoshows/12610/pagani-zonda-r.html
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