Pagani Automobili, renowned for its relentless pursuit of automotive perfection, introduces the Huayra R, a hypercar sculpted for the track and designed to deliver the purest driving experience. This extreme machine embodies the soul of Pagani Cars, pushing the boundaries of engineering and artistry to create a vehicle that is as breathtaking to behold as it is exhilarating to drive. The Huayra R is not merely a track car; it is a laboratory on wheels, incorporating technologies destined for future Pagani models, and a celebration of performance, technology, and art in the realm of high-performance automobiles.
A Legacy of Freedom and Passion in Pagani Cars
What defines freedom in the world of Pagani cars? It’s the audacity to dream beyond limitations, to express unbridled emotion, and to constantly surpass oneself. This ethos is deeply embedded in the Huayra R, drawing inspiration from the iconic Le Mans and World Sports-Prototype Championship cars of the 1960s and 1970s. These legendary machines, symbols of automotive freedom, epitomized an era of motorsport filled with intense competition, dramatic moments, and the forging of eternal legends. The spirit of these races, where drivers became heroes and cars became icons, fuels the bold design of the Huayra R, a true testament to Pagani’s dedication to performance, technology, and artistic expression in their cars.
Horacio Pagani himself articulates this vision: “Today’s racing cars are overwhelmingly shaped by aerodynamics, often losing the aesthetic charm. In the 60s and 70s, race cars were fast and undeniably dangerous, yet they possessed an undeniable beauty. Prototype sports cars like the Ferrari P4 or the Ford GT40, and the Le Mans cars, had captivating lines that continue to inspire Pagani cars today. The Porsche 917, with its romantic yet assertive form, remains my personal favorite – beautiful, elegant, and timeless, conveying sheer speed. From this pursuit of freedom and the legacy of the Zonda R, the Huayra R emerged as a breath of fresh air in the world of Pagani cars.”
The Huayra R stands as a celebration of passion, an unbridled expression of automotive engineering, unbound by regulations except for safety. Its sole purpose is to deliver uncompromising performance and, above all, to ignite the senses, embodying the core spirit of Pagani cars.
Innovation Rooted in Tradition: The Pagani Philosophy
Pagani Automobili’s DNA is intrinsically linked to pushing boundaries and redefining what’s possible. This drive led to the creation of the Zonda R in the late 2000s, Pagani’s first foray into track-focused cars. Horacio Pagani envisioned a car that would integrate the most advanced racing technology with the meticulous beauty and detail synonymous with Pagani cars. The Zonda R, crafted with aerospace and F1-derived materials, debuted at the Geneva Motor Show in 2009. Beneath its raw carbon fiber skin, it represented the pinnacle of Pagani’s technological prowess, combined with an unprecedented level of aesthetic consideration for a track car. Offering an unmatched driving experience, the Zonda R set benchmarks on global circuits and graced magazine covers worldwide, solidifying its place in the lineage of exceptional Pagani cars.
More than a decade later, the Huayra R revisits this audacious spirit, merging technical sophistication with meticulous detailing. This new model, like all Pagani cars, is a bespoke creation, incorporating technologies that will shape the future of Pagani’s automotive innovations.
Horacio Pagani reflects, “In 2008, we were deeply immersed in the Huayra project, a demanding endeavor both technically and stylistically. After years of intense work, I felt an overwhelming need for creative liberation. This yearning led to the Zonda R, a track car unburdened by constraints. Beautiful, high-performing, and safe. The Huayra R, like the Zonda R, is the most liberated, extreme, and performance-oriented Pagani car ever conceived.”
The Heart of the Beast: The Pagani V12-R Engine
The Huayra R is more than just an exercise in design; it is a culmination of dedicated engineering focused on achieving peak performance. Free from the constraints of road car production, Pagani’s engineers in San Cesario Sul Panaro elevated the targets for each component, leading to the development of the most potent naturally aspirated engine ever to grace a Pagani car.
The Pagani V12-R, the beating heart of the Huayra R, is a 6-liter, 12-cylinder, naturally aspirated racing engine. Developed in collaboration with HWA AG, it was specifically engineered to be the lightest, most powerful, and most efficient track-ready V12 ever created for Pagani cars. This engine was born from the desires of Pagani’s discerning clientele, who sought a high-revving, naturally aspirated V12 for their ultimate track machine.
“The objective for the new engine was to capture the charm, the romance, the sound, and the simplicity of the 1980s Formula 1 engines, while integrating today’s most advanced technology,” explains Horacio Pagani.
This state-of-the-art powertrain delivers a staggering 850 horsepower (625 kW) at 8250 rpm, with a peak torque of 750 Nm readily available from 5500 to 8300 rpm. The 200 bar direct injection system maximizes thermodynamic efficiency and fuel economy, ensuring optimal performance for this Pagani car.
Designed to offer an unparalleled track experience up to its 9000 rpm redline, the Huayra R’s engine development prioritized not only power but also lightness. HWA AG engineers met this challenge head-on, resulting in the Pagani V12-R weighing a mere 198 kg (436 lbs), a benchmark in its class.
Structurally integral, the engine bolts directly to the central monocoque, enhancing chassis rigidity and supporting the transmission and chrome-molybdenum alloy steel subframes. Despite its high performance, the Pagani V12-R is designed for reliability and ease of maintenance, with service intervals every 10,000 km.
Precision Transmission for Track Domination
Complementing the powerful engine is a brand-new six-speed sequential gearbox, also co-developed with HWA AG. This bespoke transmission is engineered to perfectly match the Huayra R’s engine characteristics, forming a cohesive and highly responsive powertrain within Pagani cars.
Utilizing a 3 sintered metal disc racing clutch, this non-synchronized dog ring gearbox achieves a remarkable 95% friction efficiency. It offers lightning-fast, precise shifts and weighs just 80 kg (176 lb). Like the engine, the gearbox is structurally integrated with the monocoque, contributing to the chassis’s overall stiffness and handling dynamic loads. Its design strategically integrates with the suspension system through dedicated attachment points, maximizing the architectural efficiency of this Pagani car.
Exhaust Symphony: The Sound of Performance
The Huayra R’s exhaust system is a masterpiece of acoustic and engineering design. Meticulously planned and researched for materials, geometry, and sound, it ensures rapid and efficient exhaust gas evacuation, allowing the Pagani V12-R to unleash its full power with minimal back pressure. Constructed from Inconel 625/718 alloy, with walls a third thinner than typical road car exhausts, and ceramic-coated for heat management, the system is incredibly lightweight and optimizes aerodynamic performance while delivering an unparalleled auditory experience within Pagani cars.
The exhaust note of this racing machine is pure emotion. The manifold and tailpipe design, with equal-length pipes for each cylinder, creates a sound reminiscent of classic Formula 1 cars. For noise-restricted tracks, the Huayra R is equipped with mufflers to comply with the FIA’s 110-decibel limit, showcasing the versatility of Pagani cars for different track environments.
Chassis and Materials: The Foundation of Agility and Safety
The monocoque of the Huayra R is a bespoke development, engineered to provide occupants with the authentic feel and immersive experience of a true racing car, while upholding the stringent safety standards inherent in Pagani cars.
Utilizing Pagani’s advanced composite technologies, including Carbo-Titanium HP62-G2 and Carbo-Triax HP62, the new monocoque integrates the seats directly into its structure. This design, combined with specific side-impact absorption structures and a roll-bar, maximizes protection without compromising cockpit accessibility, a hallmark of thoughtful engineering in Pagani cars. The front frames, crafted from chrome-molybdenum alloy steel, benefit from the extensive development and crash testing of the Huayra project, further refined for track use. The rear frame, working in concert with the powertrain, creates an integrated structure with the monocoque, significantly enhancing chassis rigidity. Compared to the road-going Huayra, the Huayra R boasts a 51% increase in flexural rigidity and a 16% increase in torsional rigidity, emphasizing the structural integrity of Pagani cars designed for extreme performance.
This fusion of innovative structural principles and materials tailored for the Huayra R, along with the enhanced mechanical properties, results in a dry weight of just 1,050 kg for this ultimate Pagani car.
Uncompromising Safety Standards
Safety is paramount in every Pagani car, and the Huayra R is no exception. Comfort and performance are meaningless without maximum protection, a principle deeply ingrained in Pagani Automobili’s philosophy. The Huayra R’s development prioritized meticulous design and material research for the bodywork and roll-bar structure to not only deliver a thrilling track experience but also ensure a safe vehicle compliant with the most rigorous FIA GT vehicle standards, a testament to Pagani’s commitment to driver well-being.
The heavy-duty safety cage, integrated into the central monocoque, features composite absorption structures at the front, sides, and rear. These are specifically engineered to dissipate kinetic energy during impacts or rollovers. Inside the cockpit, an automatic fire suppression system is activated in emergencies. The seats, integral to the carbon monocoque, are equipped with six-point safety harnesses and covered in fire-retardant Nomex material. FIA-approved Ener-Core EC 50 foam padding ensures an optimal driving position, conforming to the occupant’s body, while carbon fiber headrests include dedicated lateral protection, showcasing the comprehensive safety approach within Pagani cars.
Aerodynamic Artistry: Form Follows Function and Beauty
Pagani Automobili views car construction as an art form, requiring both brilliant engineers and artistic craftsmen. For the Huayra R, this meant a deep dive into combining technical performance with formal elegance. Every line and surface of the Huayra R is meticulously sculpted to maximize aerodynamic load. The initial target was 1000 kg of downforce at 320 km/h (2204 lb at 199 mph), with ground clearance optimized for peak aerodynamic performance and predictable handling across all conditions. This ambitious goal was quickly met, with early tests showing excellent stability and balance, achieving a 46%-54% downforce distribution throughout its speed range while maintaining minimal sensitivity to ride height, demonstrating the refined aerodynamics of Pagani cars.
However, Horacio Pagani sought not only performance but also a more captivating aesthetic. Further design refinement led to a surprising discovery: as the car’s aesthetics evolved, aerodynamic performance and efficiency improved. This underscored the principle that beauty, in Pagani’s design philosophy, is the perfect harmony of form and function in Pagani cars.
Contributing to the car’s aerodynamic prowess are new front side air intakes for enhanced brake cooling and channeling airflow to minimize turbulence and maximize downforce. Extensive work on the radiator and internal fluid dynamics ensures adequate engine cooling. New wing profiles on the front bonnet improve air extraction and front-end stability. Additional air vents above the wheel arches and generous side outlets further optimize airflow to the rear aerodynamic elements of this meticulously crafted Pagani car.
The new roof scoop, with an integrated center fin, maximizes air intake for the Pagani V12-R engine. The flat underbody, coupled with the rear diffuser and distinctive wing, completes the aerodynamic package, generating maximum downforce for superior track performance in Pagani cars.
Suspension Innovation: Precision Handling Redefined
Pagani cars have long been celebrated for their sophisticated suspension systems. Decades of research and development, rigorously tested with the Zonda R, have led to innovative solutions now seen in the Huayra Coupé and further refined in the Huayra R. The new suspension kinematics and geometry in the Huayra R represent the culmination of an intense design and experimental phase, pointing towards the future of Pagani’s track-focused technology in Pagani cars.
Featuring forged aluminum alloy suspension, independent double wishbones, helical springs, and electronically controlled active shock absorbers, the Huayra R’s system with rigid mounting points ensures that the V12-R’s immense power and torque are effectively translated to the track. It also delivers unprecedented driving precision. The advanced elasto-kinematics optimize camber recovery and dynamic bump steer correction, ensuring ideal tire grip in all scenarios, allowing drivers to confidently attack challenging corners.
Integrated with the active aerodynamics, the active suspension ensures the Huayra R responds dynamically to all conditions, providing balanced corner entry and exit, and maximum braking stability, resulting in predictable and precise handling, a hallmark of finely tuned Pagani cars.
Braking Mastery: Brembo and Pagani Partnership
The long-standing partnership between Pagani Automobili and Brembo ensures that Pagani hypercars are equipped with cutting-edge braking systems. Focusing on peak performance, integrated design, safety, and lightness, Brembo’s systems are integral to the driving experience of Pagani cars.
The Huayra R features world-class braking power with brand-new CCM-R self-ventilated carbon-ceramic discs and racing pads. Specifically developed for this model, the CCM-R brakes offer superior thermal conductivity and maximum braking force, characteristics vital for competitive track use. This technology ensures greater system rigidity and lower operating temperatures under extreme conditions, while also extending the system’s lifespan, showcasing the advanced technology integrated into Pagani cars.
Pirelli Tyres and APP Tech Wheels: Grip and Lightness
Pirelli, with over a century of motorsport experience, including a historic victory in the inaugural F1 race at Silverstone in 1950, has collaborated with Pagani to develop bespoke tyres for Pagani cars.
The result is a slick version of the P Zero tyre, offering maximum precision and control, even for non-professional drivers. These tyres provide exceptional braking and optimal traction. Standard racing sizes ensure cost-effectiveness and availability for customers, and the P Zero slick will benefit from Pirelli’s ongoing motorsport tyre developments, seamlessly adaptable to the Huayra R. Available in both dry and wet versions, these tyres ensure the Huayra R can conquer the track in any condition, providing the grip needed for pinpoint cornering precision in Pagani cars.
Custom-designed monolithic rims, forged from aluminum alloy in collaboration with APP Tech, achieve maximum lightness in a 19-inch size, completing the wheel and tyre assembly for Pagani cars.
The Interior: An Extension of the Driver
Inside the Huayra R, every detail is crafted to enhance driver engagement and maximize adrenaline, offering a raw, thrilling, and unfiltered driving experience synonymous with track-focused Pagani cars.
Essential controls, including traction control, ABS map selection, radio communication, and other critical functions, are readily accessible on the quick-release, adjustable steering wheel. Gearshift paddles are located behind the wheel for immediate control.
Secondary controls for lights, engine maps, suspension maps, and brake balance are positioned on the center console. A customizable, high-resolution motorsport dashboard display provides vital vehicle data. Onboard telemetry records all vehicle data, enabling performance analysis and vehicle optimization for any track, ensuring drivers can extract the maximum potential from their Pagani cars.
To achieve perfect driver ergonomics, the adjustable pedal set, designed with AP Racing exclusively for the Huayra R, embodies the principles of lightness and style inherent in Pagani cars. Crafted with meticulous attention to detail, the Huayra R’s cockpit impresses with its design, where every screw, lever, and surface contributes to an environment focused on speed and tailored to each driver.
Arte in Pista: The Pagani Track Experience
The Pagani experience extends beyond car ownership with “Arte in Pista” (“art on the track”), a program designed to immerse owners in the Pagani world. Building on the tradition of Pagani Raduno events, “Arte in Pista” offers a curated calendar of personalized track events. Huayra R owners can enjoy the thrill of driving their hypercars to their performance limits with dedicated Pagani team assistance and professional driver support. From individual track days to group events in North America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, each event combines leisure with the exhilaration of driving a Pagani on world-renowned circuits. As Horacio Pagani states, “A car sculpted in performance. Not just a track car, but a very intimate club of true adrenaline seekers,” encapsulating the exclusive and passionate community around Pagani cars.
– TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS –
ENGINE: Pagani V12-R – 6.0 liters – naturally aspirated 12-cylinder V
POWER: 850 HP (625 kW) at 8250 rpm
TORQUE: 750 Nm from 5500 to 8300 rpm
TRANSMISSION: Rear-wheel Drive
GEARBOX: 6-speed sequential, non-synchronized dog ring gearbox
BRAKES: Brembo CCM-R ventilated discs: Front 410×38 mm with monolithic 6-piston calipers; Rear 390×34 mm with monolithic 6-piston calipers
WHEELS: APP forged monolithic aluminum alloy: Front 19 inches; Rear 19 inches
TYRES: Pirelli P Zero slick version – Dry and Wet: Front 275/675 R19; Rear 325/705 R19
SUSPENSION: Forged aluminum alloy independent double wishbone with helical springs and electronically controlled shock absorbers
CHASSIS: Monocoque in Pagani Carbo-Titanium HP62 G2 and Carbo-Triax HP62 with front and rear tubular subframes in CrMo alloy steel
DRY WEIGHT: 1050 Kg (2314 lb)
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