The Pagani Zonda is a supercar made by Italian car maker Pagani. It debuted in 1999 and continues through the present, with production proceeding at roughly 25 cars per year. As of 2005, 47 Zondas had been built. It is a mid-engined 2-seat coupe and convertible. Construction is mainly of carbon fiber.
Some early Zonda engineering was done by Formula One champion, Juan Manuel Fangio. The car was originally to be named for him, the "Fangio F1", but the name was changed upon his death in 1995.
The Zonda is often compared to the Enzo Ferrari, the Koenigsegg, and the Porsche Carrera GT.
C12
The C12 debuted at the 1999 Geneva Motor Show. It was powered by a 6.0 L (5987 cc) Mercedes-Benz AMG V12 engine and could reach speeds of over 180 mph (290 km/h).
Just five of the original 6.0 L Zonda were built, though it was still available in 2002 when the C12 S debuted. One was used for crash testing, while another was a demonstrator and show car. The rest were delivered to customers over the next three years.
C12 S
The C12 S used a 7.0 L (7010 cc) version of the engine producing 550 hp (410 kW). It can accelerate to 60 mph (97 km/h) in 3.7 seconds. Top speed is 220 mph (354 km/h) for the coupe and 215 mph (346 km/h) for the Roadster.
The C12 S features an elongated nose and flaps at the rear for improved aerodynamics. New light clusters air exhausts are also used. Fifteen 7.0 L C12 S cars were produced.
C12 S 7.3
The 7.3 L (7291 cc) C12 S 7.3 of 2002 used one of the largest V12 engines ever made. Traction control was added to handle the 413.9 kW (555 hp) and 750 N·m (553 ft·lbf) that this engine produces. As of 2005, only five coupes out of an expected 100 have been produced.
A roadster version will also be built, with production limited by the company to 40 examples. As of 2005, nine roadsters had been built.
C12 S Monza
The track-oriented C12 S Monza pushes power output to 600 hp (447 kW). It debuted at the 2004 Paris Motor Show.
C12 F
The Zonda C12 F debuted at the 2005 Geneva Motor Show. It is the most extensive reengineering of the Pagani car yet, though it shares much with its predecessors including the 7.3 L V12. Power was rumored to be at 620 hp (462 kW) with a special clubsport model producing 650 hp (484 kW). The version shown in Geneva produced 593 hp (442 kW), however [1]. The company promises a 3.5 second sprint to 60 mph (97 kph) and a top speed over 214 mph (344 km/h).
The Zonda F will be built in a new factory capable of producing 250 cars per year. 70 of these cars per year will be the first Paganis to officially be offered in the United States, though four prior Zondas were imported for racing. The company plans to complete full Federalization, including crash testing, before the introduction of the car in 2007.
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