Like a 70’s rock song that won’t end.
Italian supercar maker Pagani continues to play the ballad of the Zonda, the supercar that launched the brand and was supposed to be killed off more than half a decade ago. While we forgave the Fantasma Evo that was shown off just a month ago as a rebirth rather than a last-hurrah, it appears that the company has gone through the trouble of building three more, all-new Zonda special editions, if only to remind the world that greatness never truly dies.
The Zonda HP Barchetta is a masterpiece in lightweight engineering, balanced with outstanding aesthetic appeal. Revealed at the ongoing Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, the HP Barchetta is posited as a deeply personal project for the marque’s founder Horatio Pagani, whom we’re informed sees the Barchetta as the personification of how he would want his own Zonda to look. It comes as little surprise to us then that the specific car shown off at Pebble Beach (and in the press photos, apparently) are of the car that belongs to Mr. Pagani himself.
Finished in a stunning blue-tinted carbon fibre, the HP Barchetta features a thin wraparound windscreen and absolutely no roofing whatsoever, though it does feature a self-supported roof scoop regardless. Aside from the hue, the exterior also sees fitment of partial rear-wheel covers, a controversial addition that serves to leave a character line dividing the upper- and lower-halves of the car uninterrupted through the rear wheel.
The cabin (unphotographed) features a light off-white leather, sprinkled with details in blue tartan and blue piping to match the exterior. No powertrain figures or numbers have been released, though we expect little change to the 7.3-litre naturally-aspirated AMG V12, which has been tuned so many times we wonder if any of the original unit is left. Power output should be around 522kW, assuming they haven’t gone to town with the mill (again).
With one of the three HP Barchettas spoken for, it’s posited that the remaining two units are valued at some US$15-million each (or a shade under $19-million!) which frankly seems a little ridiculous. But that said, Paganis are cars that appeal almost entirely to the heart rather than the mind, and as a collectors item, this ultra-rare finale might be the cherry on the cake for any collector around the world.
Stay tuned to CarShowroom as we bring you more updates as they come.
