Is the new Pagani Zonda Revolucion the Nurburgring lap-record holder in waiting? The Zonda Revolucion (Revolution in Spanish) is a fettled version of the track-only Zonda R, boasting more power and F1-derived brake and aerodynamic know-how. It should easily be able to eclipse the Zonda R’s record-breaking 6min 47sec Nürburgring lap time, but you’ll need fast money, too. Available to order now, the five Revolucions being produced will set you back an eye-watering €2.2m (£1.8m) each – plus taxes – and you still can’t drive it on the road…
For £1.8million, the Pagani Zonda Revolucion had better be packing some serious punch…
Worry not: the mid-mounted 6.0-litre AMG V12 (normally aspirated still, rather than twin-turbocharged like the new Pagani Huayra in CAR’s video review below) develops 789bhp – a 50bhp increase on the 2009 Zonda R’s output. Torque is also up by 14lb ft to 538lb ft, and it’s all sent to the slick Pirelli-shod rear wheels via the same six-speed sequential paddleshift gearbox as the original Zonda R, which swaps cogs in only 20ms.
The all-carbonfibre Zonda Revolucion weighs in at 1070kg – unchaged from the ‘standard’ Zonda R in spite of the extra power and aerodynamic enhancements…
Where’s the Zonda Revolucion’s new F1-inspired technology?
First up is DRS, or Drag Reduction System. Either activated automatically depending on the car’s speed, or manually via the driver pushing a steering wheel-mounted button, the DRS alters the huge rear wing’s angle of attack, cutting air resistance at speeds of more than 62mph.
Pagani has also gone to work on the Zonda’s brakes. The Revolucion’s stoppers are a new generation of carbon-ceramic disc, which cut weight by 15% versus the Zonda R’s anchors. The brakes are also stronger overall and have a lower operating temperature, which means you can make use of them earlier, while there’s also less brake fade after repeated abuse and a longer disc lifetime. Together with a reworked ABS and 12-setting Bosch traction-control set-up, the Zonda Revolucion should easily be able to eclipse the Zonda R’s record-breaking Nürburgring lap time.
With McLaren’s P1 and LaFerrari both touting sub-7min ‘Ring laptimes, the Zonda Revolucion nicely tees up a hybrid-versus-raw-horsepower Nordschleife showdown. Who’s your money on? Tell us in the article comments below.