730 hp, 1,000 Nm, 0-100 in 2.8 secs, max speed of 370km/h. These are the headline figures of the Pagani Huayra when it was launched in 2012. But I am not here to talk about those.
You see, the man behind it all, Horacio Pagani, is more than just an engineer and an entrepreneur.
He is also an artist with a acute eye for detail, coupled with his uncompromising vigor to see his vision through, the Huayra was borned.
This post is for me to share my enthusiasm for the design and incredible attention to detail, lest you be blinded by the equally stellar performance figures.
The dual twin headlamps are of similiar design carried over from the Zonda plus two lower reflector housings. If it ain't broken, don't fix it!
Unlike most sports cars with active aero using just one piece of spoiler at the rear, there is an uncanny grace how the 4 pieces of flaps on the Huayra opens and close whenever the car pulls high G maneuvers, almost like it's alive.
The floating badge behind the front wheel arch's ventilation slit. Who said blinkers on the fenders are for cheap old cars?
Pagani's trademark quad exhaust is an unabashed statement about the car's beastly performance amidst the soft and flowing curves around the body.
Pagani said that the side mirrors were modeled after "the shape of a woman's eye". I rolled my eyes so hard when I heard that, but I can't argue with the results. The whole thing sticks out so much you cannot possibly miss it, in a way that is a compliment at Pagani's boldness.
Even the front wheel knuckle is a beautifully sculptured piece. Seriously, if I can afford it, I would buy just this piece and keep it inside a glass case.
Stepping inside the Huayra is like being transported across time and space and landed in a 60s steampunk universe.
The "jet turbine" aircon vents. Corny but effective.
The touchscreen display is reminiscent of how those old sci-fi shows think futuristic display would look like : a minituarised CRT TV. the knobs and switch would not look out of place in Fritz Lang's Metropolis. The entire center console is carved out of a single piece of solid aluminium billet.
The retro motif extends to the intrument cluster and the steering wheel.
By now you should have noticed there are A LOT of carbon fibre trims around and inside the car. Those are not trims nor are they decorative - the ENTIRE body is carbon fiber.
My favourite part of the interior, the exposed shifter linkages. It is a single clutch automatic, to be sure, but there is something about exposed mechanical parts that makes you feel closer to the unfiltered power from the drivetrain.
And finally, the glorious V12 twin turbo motor from AMG. Lovingly covered in more carbon fiber and intricately designed golden art deco-inspired trims.
Why did I dedicate the entire post on the aesthetics of this car instead of it's performance? Because as a 3D artist, the amount of attention poured into every nook and cranny of this car resonates strongly with me. It is not a mass produced hypercar, but a moving sculpture, an utter masterpiece that even the Bugatti Chiron falls short off. I could spend days marveling at every inch of the car and will not run out of awe. Unfortunately I would probably never have the chance to personally look at one so closely, let alone own one.
In any case, in the world of hypercars, this is certainly a breath of fresh air.
