2014 Pagani Huayra

This car has a 720-hp, 5,980-cc Mercedes-AMG V12 engine with twin turbochargers, 7-speed automated manual transmission, front and rear independent suspension with double wishbones and fully adjustable coil-over shocks, and four-wheel carbon ceramic brakes. The wheelbase is 110 inches.

Less than 400 miles from new
Over $260,000 in options, including $20,000 seven-piece luggage set
Horacio Pagani’s second masterpiece of engineering, design and Italian craftsmanship

Unveiling their first car at the 1999 Geneva Motor Show, Pagani Automobili was set to fight an uphill battle in the automotive industry for recognition, publicity, and, most of all, success. Taking it to the supercar establishment, Horacio Pagani set out to build his own supercar in Ferrari’s backyard in Modena. Thanks to a fruitful career at Lamborghini, Pagani had the experience needed to succeed, and their first production model, the Zonda, quickly proved to be quite successful in Europe. However, the Zonda was not available in North America, and thus, Pagani was missing out on a massive market share. This was especially true in the United States, where potential customers were clamoring for a supercar that stood out from the standard offerings from the likes of Ferrari, Lamborghini and McLaren. Pagani’s next project was first conceived in 2003, midway through the production run of the Zonda. With the Zonda having been first designed in the early 1990s, it was thought that the platform was reaching obsolescence and that an entirely new car would be needed to compete with the next generation of supercars. However, Pagani wanted to retain the overall spirit and essence of what had come to define his marque with the new Huayra. Inspiration came from Leonardo da Vinci, who believed that art and science needed to be in sync to create a masterpiece. Similar to the Zonda, the Huayra’s engine was sourced from Mercedes-Benz; unlike the Zonda, Pagani chose to utilize turbochargers. Capable of producing 720 horsepower and an incredible 1,000 newton-meters of torque, the resulting performance is simply phenomenal. To help keep the Huayra firmly planted on the road, it utilizes active aerodynamics in the form of four independently operating flaps placed on each corner of the car. Controlled by the car’s computer, these flaps can instantly adjust to reduce drag, offer additional downforce, or rein in body roll depending on the car’s speed, lateral acceleration, steering angle and throttle position. These monumental engineering efforts bring the Huayra incredible performance, including a top speed of 238 mph and a 0–60 mph sprint of three seconds. The Huayra’s interior is nothing short of a masterpiece and reflects Pagani’s fanatical attention to detail. Leather of the highest quality, Alcantara, and carbon fiber give the cabin an equally sporty yet luxurious ambiance. With a list price near $2,000,000 and such incredible performance, the Huayra was truly in rarified automotive atmosphere and is a car that many aspire to but one that few have the privilege to own. Delivered new to the United States, the car has traveled less than 400 miles from new and remains in showroom-fresh condition throughout. Furthermore, the car was delivered new with the highly desirable seven-piece luggage set, taking advantage of all the available storage space in the Huayra for extended journeys. Finished in a highly compelling color combination with less than 400 miles on its odometer, there is only one word to describe this automobile and its driving experience: breathtaking.

SCM Analysis

Detailing

Vehicle:	2014 Pagani Huayra
Years Produced:	2011–present
Number Produced:	100
Original List Price:	$1,653,240
SCM Valuation:	Median to date, $2,035,000 (this car is the only Huayra sold at auction); high sale: $2,035,000 (this car).
Tune Up Cost:	$5,000
Club Info:	Pagani hosts their own events for owners and interested clients at least once a year at an annual meet called Vanishing Point, which normally takes place somewhere in Italy
Website:	http://www.pagani.com
Alternatives:	2012 Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Super Sport, 2015 McLaren, 2015 Porsche 918
Investment Grade:	A

This car, Lot 164, sold for $2,035,000, including buyer’s premium, at RM Sotheby’s auction in Amelia Island, FL, on March 12, 2016.

“The hardest part for us is to give a form to our dreams. Every detail has to be perfect, has to be something worthy to stand alone.” — Horacio Pagani

The Pagani Huayra (pronounced why-ra) is one of the best supercars of all time. In fact, it’s a hypercar — a hand-built machine in a league of its own.

Named for the Incan god of wind, the Huayra is the epitome of modern aerodynamic beauty, with its ultra-wide stance, teardrop cockpit and sleekly arched fenders. It competes with the gold-standard Bugatti Veyron and the outlandish Koenigseggs.

Pagani is an exclusive and bespoke operation that makes fewer than 40 cars per year. With instrument bezels hand-carved from blocks of aircraft-quality aluminum, a unique system of ailerons that glue the car to the road at racetrack speeds — and even a key fob that’s a beautifully sculpted alloy model of the Huayra itself — this car is a work of master craftsmanship and singular design.

One man’s vision

There’s an extraordinary person behind this masterpiece of a car. Horacio Pagani, modern Renaissance man, is an Argentine-born self-taught engineer and musician who eschews computers and worships Leonardo Da Vinci. As a child, Pagani built dream cars from balsa wood. Today as founder and leader of Pagani Automobili, he is a passionate perfectionist. As a result, the Huayra is the most meticulously crafted car on the planet.

Pagani was an early pioneer in the use of carbon fiber in exotic cars. He worked for Lamborghini and founded Modena Design, which has developed lightweight composite components for Renault, Ferrari, Dallara, and Aprilla. The Huayra’s sculpted bodywork is a showcase of 15 different kinds of carbon fiber, some of which is blended with titanium. All of these alloys are aerospace-grade.

Outlandish specs

The Huayra has all kinds of requisite supercar bling: quad headlights, gullwing doors, muscular lines with multiple high-profile air intakes, a whopping V12 AMG powerplant and a sumptuous skin handmade in Modena. The car also has active aerodynamics inspired by aircraft wing flaps. (These computer-controlled ailerons are stealthily installed on all four corners of the car. Depending on speed and lateral acceleration, the flaps automatically and independently raise and lower to provide downforce, reduce drag or control body roll.) And the Huayra can be totally custom-configured. The sky-is-the-limit options list includes a set of luggage that puts Louis Vuitton to shame.

Pagani makes use of specialized outside suppliers that represent a Who’s Who of the global parts bin: wheels from APP, interior pieces machined by ASPA, Carbon-Ceramic brakes by BSCCB (the joint venture between Brembo and SGL Group), a titanium exhaust system by MHG, ultra-wide Pirelli P Zero tires, and interior “sustainable” leather from the Dani Group.

Mercedes-AMG supplies the custom-built 720-hp, 6.0-liter twin-turbo V12, which delivers 738 pound-feet of torque through a 7-speed single-clutch transmission, catapulting the Huayra from zero to 60 in three seconds and topping out at 228 mph.

Too cool for depreciation?

This car, made in 2014, is number 62 of just 100. It has less than 400 miles on the odometer, so it is basically a brand-new car. What’s more, this car sold at a hammer price of $1,850,000. That’s just a hair off the new list price of just under $2 million.

Has this over-the-top hypercar blown past depreciation? It’s hard to say, as so few exist. Right now, this is the only Pagani Huayra in SCM’s Platinum Auction Database — we have records of five Pagani Zonda sales — so there isn’t enough of a sample to make any kind of a reasonable statement.

That said, I think the Pagani has serious legs and will at least keep depreciation at bay — and end up appreciating over time.

Remember, we have a lot of new, younger players in the market right now, and many of them want state-of-the-art modern supercars. The Huayra more than fits their desires.

Even if you prefer Brass Era cars or Duesenbergs, it’s hard not to respect the Huayra. This is not just another expensive four-wheeled bauble.

While Pagani himself lacks Enzo Ferrari’s racing background, his passion for innovation and craftsmanship gives the Huayra a pedigree of unmatched quality — far beyond supercar flash. Pagani describes his customers as “low-profile, humble, passionate about cars but passionate about art in general.” He says, “A lot of them have the same stories, starting from zero and reaching their goals.”

The company is moving and upgrading its factory, with the goal of building 50 cars per year. However, only 100 Huayras will be made — and every one is spoken for. ♦

(Introductory description courtesy of RM Sotheby’s.)