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Gautam Sharma31 Jan 2011
NEWS

Pagani reveals all-new Huayra

We can barely spell it, let alone pronounce it, but this could be the supercar to have if a range-topping Ferrari or Lambo seems a little too mundane

The rarefied segment occupied by the likes of the Bugatti Veyron is set to gain a new entrant as ultra-niche Italian carmaker Pagani has just released the first official images and details of its one million euro ($1.4m in our money) Huayra, which replaces the venerable Zonda.


The Huayra -- which translates to 'god of wind' and is allegedly pronounced "Wirer" -- continues the naming theme of the Zonda, which derived its name from an Argentinian air current.


The Zonda was originally due to be dubbed the 'Fangio F1' after five-time F1 champ Juan Manuel Fangio, who had played a role in developing the car, but it gained its eventual moniker after the Argentinian ace's death in 1995. The car debuted at the 1999 Geneva motor show.


The tongue-twisting Huayra also follows in its predecessor's wheeltracks in that it uses Mercedes AMG propulsion, specifically a twin-turbo 6.0-litre V12 with a towering 522kW and 900Nm. But in case this seems a little weedy, there's a Sport version with an even more ludicrous 545kW and 1100Nm.


The V12 thumper uses the same block as the Merc SL65 Black Series, but Pagani enlisted AMG's expertise to lessen lag and boost throttle response via bespoke heads, pistons, manifolds and turbos.


Although official performance figures are yet to be revealed, company officials have suggested the car touched 370km/h in testing and knocked off the 0-100km/h dash in 3.3sec.


The blown V12's monstrous thrust is relayed to the rear wheels by a custom-made seven-speed paddle-shift gearbox built by UK-based XTRAC, and it's housed transversely behind the mid-mounted engine.


Despite the Huayra's heavy-duty drivetrain, and the fact that it's physically larger than the Zonda, it weighs an ultra-trim 1350kg (minus fluids). In keeping with modern ubercar practice, the entire bodyshell is crafted from carbonfibre, including the huge gullwing doors.


The tub is a composite of titanium and carbon, as this substance allows the structure to flex slightly in a crash rather than shattering.


Visually, the Huayra is no less arresting than the Zonda, and its key distinguishing features are a catfish-mimicking face and rear-view mirrors that stick out like flagpoles. The body allegedly works like an airplane wing in that moveable flaps at each corner of the car automatically adjust to optimise the airflow over the car during acceleration, braking and cornering.


The suspension is also adjustable and the nose can be raised to access steep driveways and ramps. The active dampers also counteract dive under braking.


The Huayra is apparently a more liveable proposition than the Zonda, thanks to greater refinement and extra cabin space, while the mod-cons list includes touchscreen satnav and Bluetooth.


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Written byGautam Sharma
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