Pagani returns to building its most extreme expression of its current automobile with the Huayra R. Following the footsteps of the Zonda R track car, the Huayra is the freest, most extreme and performance-oriented Pagani car of all time.
The heart of the new Pagani Huayra R is the engine. “The new engine had to have the charm, romance, sound and simplicity of the F1 engines of the 1980s, while incorporating state-of-the-art technology available today,” said founder of Pagani Automobili, Horacio Pagani. So, the turbochargers have been ditched, returning to natural atmospheric aspiration like the Zonda R over ten years ago.
The 6.0-litre Pagani V12-R engine, engineered in partnership with HWA AG, has outputs of 850 hp at 8,250 rpm and 750 Nm of torque from 5,500 rpm to 8,300 rpm, ending its rotation at the speed of 9,000 rpm. Modern technology in computing, design, materials and manufacturing lift the maximum horsepower value by 100 hp and torque by 40 Nm compared to the Mercedes-sourced V12 in the 2009 Zonda R.
Made using lightweight Inconel 625/718 material, the exhaust manifolds are designed so each of the 12 outlets has an identical length for maximum performance, as seen in non-turbocharged Formula One engines.
The exhaust system, fully coated with heat-dissipating ceramic material, is also equipped with mufflers that can be fitted as required, ensuring that noise emissions are reduced to within the FIA limit of 110 decibels at noise restricted circuits. Pagani says the bespoke engine is efficient and easy to operate, requiring a service cycle of 10,000 km interval.
The lighter and less complex naturally aspirated V12 engine is affixed to the carbon fibre monocoque via new materials and structural designs and as such, is 51% more rigid to resist bending and a 16% increase in torsional rigidity. The V12 engine also supports the HWA AG-developed transmission system that features a six-speed sequential, non-synchronized dog ring gearbox and a three-sintered metal disc racing clutch.
The dry weight of the Huayra R is 1,050 kg, of which 278 kg is represented by the tailor-made powertrain and is nearly 200 kg lighter than the track-focused Huayra Imola road car.
HWA AG has been the go-to company for Horacio Pagani, as the company is lead by Hans Werner Aufrecht whose name represented the ‘A’ in the AMG tuning company before shifting to start HWA AG back in 1998.
Unlike the regular road-going variants with 20- and 21-inch tyre and rim setup, the Huayra R comes fitted with P-Zero slick tyres from Pirelli and in a smaller 19-inch diameter. The carbon-ceramic disc brakes from Brembo have also been upsized, with the front measuring 410 mm diameter and the rear in 390 mm, each grabbed by six-piston calipers fitted with racing pads.
While the upperbody of the Huayra R doesn’t have many extreme-looking aerodynamic appendages, the vehicle is said to have exceeded its 1,000 kg-downforce target with ease. The full-width fixed rear wing now integrated into the bodywork much better than the Imola. A set of air vents above the wheel arch and the generous side outlet allow even more effective channelling of air to flow to the rear aerodynamic appendages. The V12 engine breathes through a central scoop that also incorporates a stabilising fin.
Pagani will be releasing a more significant quantity of 30 units of the Huayra R with a “lower” price of EUR2.6 million each, unlike the Huayra Tricolore in just three examples and the Huayra Imola with just five units. The V12 engines are back alive, with Gordon Murray’s T.50 weighing even lighter and paired with a three-pedal manual transmission.
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