Horacio Pagani’s company is now in its third decade, and here is its third creation…
For only the third time since ‘99, there’s a new Pagani. Known as the Utopia, the 2023 model is the successor to the Huayra, but more importantly, is the car that will bring the manual transmission back to the company.
Horacio Pagani began sketching the Utopia over six years ago, and gave it twin stacked rear taillights that reference the Zonda – and small twin headlights, quad centre exhausts, and a teardrop-shaped cabin, that reference every other Pagani. The body work is a new, stiffer carbon fibre, while the doors are now dihedral, a step up from the Huayra’s gullwings.
Unlike the Huayra where some aero bits invade your personal space, the Utopia incorporates aero elements under the main body. The result is an even 46-54% aerodynamic balance front and rear.
No Pagani is complete without its thumping heart, and here Mercedes AMG’s monster V12 is ever present. No heavy batteries, no complex hybrids, just a ballistic sounding V12 that slaps to a whopping 1100 Nm of torque. Best of all, it actually meets strict emissions regulations. Buyers will have the choice of an automated box or opt for a retro true manual mounted XTrac seven-speed gearbox. With gigantic 21 inch wheels up front and 22 inch wheels at the rear, a hardcore set of slicks was needed. The Pirellis chosen more than do the job – they give the Utopia exceptional road awareness.
Naturally, there’s lots of leather and aluminum trim, with no huge tablet invading the dash. Instead, there are temperature and pressure gauges above the climate controls, with all infotainment functions displayed on a screen in the gauge cluster.
More than just a third attempt, this is Pagani’s past, present, and future. They have managed to capture the soul of Pagani – in peak physical form.
By Bill Varetimidis
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