The Beginnings by Horacio Pagani In January 1988 the late Juan Manuel Fangio invites some close friends over for dinner, I was happy to be among them and privileged to be considered a friend.
This incredible person who was simple and genuine at all times. He won five world championships that everyone remembers. I was very young when he raced and I do not remember this very well.
But I do remember well his incredible presence, his feelings and the concepts he used to express. He is still an example to us all.
I have always worked hard to see my dreams come true and that night I imagined a car to honour his life. A common friend, Jan Manuel Bordeu, told me: "Horacio, design a car and call it Fangio".
I will never forget his look; showing his modesty and humility. As a mysterious spring this idea started to develop. Fangio told me: "I am thankful to all of those that allowed me to race and to win. My biggest thank goes to Mercedes-Benz, I am a Mercedes man." And he goes on: "If you will make it the car must have their engine".
At that time I was contracted to Lamborghini, a marque that I still love, and my life was devoted to the project I was given in S. Agata. Nevertheless in August 1988 I showed to Fangio my first drawing.
It had a12 cylinder Mercedes-Benz engine and it was laid out as a Mid Engined Supercar. After meeting Fangio I told Ing. Dallara about this project. He told me: "Probably the Miura was the last example of sports car inspired to sport prototypes of those days". I completely agreed with him and Fangio and the idea of making a car derived from group C became stronger and stronger.
By 1992 I had established my own business and had the inspiration, concentration and quietness needed to draw the car. I showed it to Fangio and I remember his look of approval. He clearly told me: "Any project starts to be interesting as soon as it becomes reality".
The task was not easy, however it became exciting. To create a unique vehicle that reflects objective and subjective values of a unique man. This car had to be not only be beautiful and reliable, but also original, simple, non-comparable and technically advanced.
The Super Car design had to be original, Inspired by the Sauber Mercedes "Silver Arrows" Group C Cars. The style had to express new and old concepts. She was born in few days. Then we analysed it for over a year without making major changes. Aesthetic care must be extended to all the components including those hidden and purely technical ones, like the suspension. Our task was to create a car without time, with shocking and at the same time smooth shapes. Extreme and soft mixed together without loosing themselves into round shape triviality. The cockpit, as seen from the outside is as small as the one of a fighter jet. From the inside it is spacious and comfortable. One of the design goals was to keep the driving position as aligned as possible with the cars centre line. The result is a seat and steering wheel angle of 1.5 degrees only. The choice of using the prestigious 12 cylinder Mercedes-Benz engine, mounted in a central position, appeared to be very interesting both because of its light weight and its incredible power and torque.
Recently a special version of this engine developed by AMG won the GT world championship. F1 technology has been used for the chassis and bodywork which is made of advanced composite materials. Modena Designs expertise has made possible the construction of a rigid and light car that does not sacrifice comfort. Carbon fibre has been used taking full advantage of our 15 years of experience with this exotic material. Our goal was to let carbon fibre express all of the art and technology that this material intrinsically has. Expert hands worked to emphasise the nature of each material utilised. We evaluated 4 wheel drive and electronic suspension management. All of these additions increased the car weight. We chose to work for a light simple and aerodynamically efficient rear wheel drive car that developed a level of Aerodynamic down force and utilised a suspension that was sophisticated from the dynamic / elastokinematic standpoint. A good weight distribution and low centre of gravity gives a very special driving feelings at every speed. The Zonda was born from a desire to honour one of the Motorsport legends of this decade, a man who exemplified all the qualities we should aspire to. It has been, for our team, a complex search for easy solutions.
Pagani Automobili Modena The area of Modena in Northern Italy is the Home Land of sport cars. The great
Italian sports car manufacturers of this century have are all based close to Modena
in the Heartland of the sports car. In this area the most beautiful sport cars with
extraordinary performance and handling have been developed. Along with these
cars a strong passion, ancient traditions and craftsmanship has developed an
understanding and know how within a community of artisans dedicated to the
development of the greatest cars.
The design of a super car projected towards the 21st century has to be discussed
investment required to develop and produce a limited number of cars has become
really excessive and limits most projects. Global strategy is a natural characteristic
of large series production which can reduce these costs, it is in contrast with the
spirit and exclusiveness of a super car. Many new enterprises are the result of
deep market studies and their products are not always the best solutions to simple
problems. Their goal is profit, necessary for their continuity. The prohibitive
development costs and pronounced market levelling from 1992 to date, does not
stimulate the growth of new activities in this area.
There are exceptions - a strong union between a passion for cars and the equilibrium
of technical and production choices has been the starting point of a new super
car spirit developed by Horacio Pagani.
Pagani Automobili Modena develops new Supercar: The Zonda. Customer passion
and desires has fired the creativity of a team who aim towards a precise goal: To
Create the most exclusive, high performance car, of recent history complete with
all the characteristics a true enthusiast craves.
Zonda was originally wished by a young designer, who has dreamt and suffered
for the day she was reality. “She” tells the story between the young designer and
the great Fangio.
The result of six years of serious, quiet, intimate hard work. Zonda is not only an incredible
design and technology concentration. It is the result of strong belief and great skill.
Zonda is a human adventure in which people of different ages and experiences
- but with the same passions - have worked together. A team composed by
designers, engineers, workman, material technicians, sculptors, partners and
suppliers.
Pagani has always been a designer and a car manufacturer. When he was 12 he
drew and made his creations: Super car models that he exhibited at his fantasy
car shows. At the age of 17 he tuned up a little sport car. When he was 20 he
become an entrepreneur as an industrial designer. He drew and built from A to
Z a Renault team F3 race car. A long list of engineering and design jobs gives him
the possibility to be known and respected everywhere within his native Argentina.
During the years his idols, Juan Manuel Fangio and Oreste Berta became friends,
advisers and guarantors of his ability. His dreams and his ideas took him to
Modena, in a natural way, this became his adopted home.
As a fan of Bertone and Lamborghini. He met with Lamborghini Director Ing.
Alfieri in 1983 - one of the most troubled times for Lamborghini - and his desire
and conviction is pointed out when he told to Ing. Alfieri: “Even if you make me
clean the floor, I am here to build the most beautiful car in the world”. These
words convinced Alfieri to give him a great opportunity.
Starting as an employee, he became a consultant and then responsible of the
composite department. In this role he contributed to the great developments on
the use of advanced composite materials for super cars. He was involved in the
projects of Lamborghini including the Jeep LMA and Countach Evoluzione which
was the first sports car in the world with a composite material chassis. During 9
years as a consultant he also worked as a designer. His managerial spirit helped
him to create “Horacio Pagani composite research”: he was convinced that
composite material would have been the main tool for manufacture of the future
Super Cars.
He is the author of the Countach Anniversary re-styling. Pagani also carried out
design studies for P 140, Diablo and L30. His expertise supplied know how for manufacturing of some composite material components for Countach 25th
Anniversary and Diablo.
In 1991 he created Modena Design, a multipurpose enterprise that offers design,
CAD/CAE, engineering, construction of models, tools and prototypes made of
advanced composite materials. During these years Modena Design has been
involved in projects with race departments of Aprilia, Dallara, and Ferrari. Moreover
it has worked with Berman, Lange and Renault France.
In this “Bottega Modenese” it is possible to breath the skills of the Florence artists
of the Renaissance. On the other hand the space around the workshop points
out that the technology is the same as the one used in F1 and the Aero Space
Industry. Horacio Pagani instils in his team passion, hard working and the correct
compromise between art and technology.
During 1988 Pagani informed Fangio, his idol and model that he decided to build
a car reflecting the great man’s philosophy. Fangio gave him his trust and was
ready to give his name to the car. He imposed one condition: the car should have
had a Mercedes engine. The project went on. The car was modelled in 1992 and
in 1993 technical concept and wind tunnel tests were undertaken. During this
time Fangio introduced Pagani to Dott. Zetsche from Mercedes Benz. Zetsche,
accepted to officially supply the V 12 engine.
Today Fangio is no longer here and Horacio preferred to name the car “ZONDA”:
This is the name of a wind from the Andes. Pagani chose this name for respect
for the great Fangio and his modesty.
As Lamborghini Miura reflects the spirit of Ford GT 40, Zonda is inspired to “the
silver arrows” group C Mercedes cars.
Horacio Pagani spent more than 25.000 hours to conceive Zonda, his creature,
exploring the car in its entirety. Concept, style, carbon fibre chassis, suspension
are all his creations. Zonda's shape describes “her” story; as a wind she takes
everyone in a new super car dimension. This is done in silence with the same
passion and skill of the man who created her.
