A mid-engined Italian supercar produced by Modena-based manufacturer Pagani.
Often considered the elite among supercars, even compared to the king of supercar makers, Ferrari, the Zonda is an uncompromising performance machine. The Zonda was designed with the help of five time Formula One champion Juan Manuel Fangio who regrettedly passed away several years into the car's development in 1995.
The Zonda is quite famous for being a constant evolution on an already superb platform. There have been many iterations throughout its production line, including the C12, the C12 S, and the Zonda F, to name a few. With AMG V-12s of varying displacement (depending on model) supplying the thrust, and a carbon fiber intensive design keeping weight low, the Zonda is no slouch. Like many supercars, it excels in the speed bracket well above highway velocities, below which, in true hyper-power fashion, it has trouble maintaining traction (but this is a decidedly milder case than that encountered in many other supercars).
Styled after the Group C Le Mans racecars of lore, the Zonda's general shape is occasionally referred to as "an acquired taste." The same can be said of its interior and its truly radical design.
Several other noteworthy Zonda features include its roof, which is almost entirely composed of glass (except in the roof-less roadster model), it's 'antenna-like' mirrors, and its six speed manual transaxle (which is particularly rare considering the 6 and 7 speed sequential manuals and DSG transmissions that many manufacturers use in their supercars today).
Often considered the elite among supercars, even compared to the king of supercar makers, Ferrari, the Zonda is an uncompromising performance machine. The Zonda was designed with the help of five time Formula One champion Juan Manuel Fangio who regrettedly passed away several years into the car's development in 1995.
The Zonda is quite famous for being a constant evolution on an already superb platform. There have been many iterations throughout its production line, including the C12, the C12 S, and the Zonda F, to name a few. With AMG V-12s of varying displacement (depending on model) supplying the thrust, and a carbon fiber intensive design keeping weight low, the Zonda is no slouch. Like many supercars, it excels in the speed bracket well above highway velocities, below which, in true hyper-power fashion, it has trouble maintaining traction (but this is a decidedly milder case than that encountered in many other supercars).
Styled after the Group C Le Mans racecars of lore, the Zonda's general shape is occasionally referred to as "an acquired taste." The same can be said of its interior and its truly radical design.
Several other noteworthy Zonda features include its roof, which is almost entirely composed of glass (except in the roof-less roadster model), it's 'antenna-like' mirrors, and its six speed manual transaxle (which is particularly rare considering the 6 and 7 speed sequential manuals and DSG transmissions that many manufacturers use in their supercars today).
Horacio Pagani was skeptical to use CCB (carbon ceramic brakes) in the Zonda for fear of squealing, which could detract from the driving experience.
The Zonda uses 6.0 liter, 7.0 liter, and 7.3 liter AMG-sourced V-12s.
The Zonda uses 6.0 liter, 7.0 liter, and 7.3 liter AMG-sourced V-12s.
by Cammity December 05, 2006