![\"Road](\"https:\/\/gtspiritmedia.com\/gtspirit\/uploads\/2013\/09\/Road-Test-Pagani-Huayra-01.jpg\" "\\"Road")
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Twelve years after the official debut of the Zonda at the 1999 Geneva Auto Salon, owner and chief designer Horacio Pagani pulled the covers off its successor. The 2012 Pagani Huayra was unveiled to the public at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show. Almost a year later we find ourselves outside the Pagani factory with the key in our hands, ready to experience the Huayra for the first time.<\/p>\n
Of course, that isn’t strictly true! At the end of 2011 we had a first impression with this outrageous car when we visited Horacio and took a ride with Davide Testi, the Italian company’s official test driver. It\u2019s an experience we cannot recommend enough, yet you can\u2019t get a full impression of the car simply from riding shotgun in the passenger seat.<\/p>\n
By now you\u2019ve probably heard all about the origins of the Huayra’s name. Pagani named it after Aymara Huayra Tata, the Argentinean god of wind. It is said that the Huayra Tata controls the breeze, the winds and the hurricanes that affect the mountains, ravines and slopes of the Andean Cordillera. The name holds strong resonance with the concept that drives the Huayra project. Wind and power are central to the car\u2019s character.<\/p>\n
Sitting at the centre of the Huayra package is a unique, all-new carbon-titanium monocoque. The composite construction offers an extremely rigid platform while also contributing to the overall lightweight theme of the car. Safety is another aspect of the monocoque’s design, the titanium acts as a mesh, holding the parts together on impact. <\/p>\n
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![\"1\"](\"https:\/\/gtspirit.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/pagani-huayra-road-test-1\/1.jpg\" "\\"1\\"")
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From the moment you walk into the Pagani factory, your eyes are drawn to the tiniest of features. Over 1,000 of the Huayra’s 4,700 parts are bespoke built by ASPA in Modena. Take for example, the Huayra badge fitted to the rear end of the car. It’s machined from a single solid piece of aluminium in a process that takes 24 hours. The engine cover alone takes five days to complete.<\/p>\n
We’ve already mentioned a few of the weight saving measures that the Huayra employs. It weighs in at less than 1,350kg, which is in fact a weight gain over the Zonda. However, the Huayra remains the lightest sports car in its class. Compared to the Agera it’s 100kg lighter, and needless to say, it weighs some 530kg less than the Bugatti Veyron.<\/p>\n
At the heart of the Huayra is the M158 twelve-cylinder biturbo engine sourced through AMG. This is a new unit developed together with the German engineers at Affolterbach to meet Pagani\u2019s specific needs in terms of technical specification and quality. A lot has been said about the new engine choice. Many Pagani fans wanted to see a naturally aspirated V12 in the Huayra. They wanted to retain the passion and sound of the Zonda\u2019s outgoing M120 unit. The inclusion of the biturbo system has changed the cars character dramatically. However, it\u2019s a change that has been forced through the discontinuation of the aging M120 unit.<\/p>\n
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At every turn, Pagani\u2019s customers were involved in the choice of engines. Customers made it clear that they wanted to retain the twelve cylinder engine, and so Pagani\u2019s solution was a biturbo unit. The M158 is bespoke built for the Huayra. It’s based on the engine that powers the SL600, yet it has smaller turbos to reduce the amount of lag, a modified intercooler and dry sump lubrication.<\/p>\n
From 6.0 liters AMG managed to extact an astonishing 720hp and 1,000Nm of maximum torque. The power is converted to the rear wheels through a transverse sequential seven-speed gearbox with a dual plate clutch in favor over a dual-clutch system which is uniquely positioned low in the center of the car to reduce centre of gravity. Alone, this saves 70kg of weight. The shifts are exactly as you would expect from a car of the Huayra\u2019s capability. They are enormously fast.<\/p>\n
With such an incredible amount of power available exclusively to the rear wheels, you\u2019re probably wondering what it feels like. Actually, it\u2019s a very easy car to drive, both slowly aggressively. The normal mode allows the wife to use it for a trip to the shops, although the limited storage space would mean she\u2019d be limited to a single pair of Louboutins! Yet press the sport button and you can tackle the twistiest of mountain roads without ever really reaching the handling limits. <\/p>\n
All the buttons you need are to be found on the steering wheel, making adjustments is easy when travelling at speed. In sport mode the weight distribution is a perfect 50\/50 balance which inspires confidence while at the same time gives you the feeling of limitless performance. We couldn\u2019t find a situation where it didn\u2019t feel this way. Similarly, if you leave the electronic stability systems enabled you hardly notice them working.<\/p>\n
The power delivery is both linear and progressive with power available throughout the rev range. Put your foot down though and in the blink of an eye, you\u2019re immediately in license threatening territory! Of course, you probably won\u2019t be paying attention at this point. The unique whooshing sound of the turbo\u2019s spooling up is addictive. Perhaps even a little too addictive!<\/p>\n
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