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The Utopia: Pagani's Third 864-HP V12 Timeless Creation Even Equips a True Manual Gearbox

Master Italian car designer Horacio Pagani played a significant role in introducing the notion of a hypercar to the world with his first undertaking, the Zonda, way back in 1999. The Zonda was an instant legend, with its breathtaking design and outstanding performance. The Zonda was followed by the Huayra in 2012, which proved to be even more impressive.
Pagani Utopia 19 photos
Photo: Pagani Automobili
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Earlier last month, at the Leonardo da Vinci Science and Technology Museum in Milan, Pagani introduced Utopia, their latest machine that proudly goes against the current automotive trends of the time.

As Pagani described their project at its unveiling, "No heavy batteries, no hybrid power, just a wonderful V12; no dual-clutch system, just a pure seven-speed manual or automated transmission. All this to ensure that the car would respond better than ever to its driver’s every action and work with them to be the purest form of driving."

Consequently, the Utopia is set to turn heads and make a statement. Not only is it incredibly fast, but it's also gorgeous to look at. Just a quick glance is all a beholder needs to admire; its sleek and curved lines of the car are stunning, and it's sure to be a showstopper wherever it goes. And, chances are that could be all you get as the 864 hp (876 PS) hypercar passes by, giving you a once-and-a-lifetime brief glimpse to remember.

Those magic numbers are produced by a Mercedes-AMG-derived V12 powerplant, a six-liter bi-turbo unit specially designed for the Italian manufacturer. A culmination of extensive research and development that delivers an impressive 811 lb-ft (1100 Nm) of torque in addition to 864 horsepower driving the rear wheels only.

Pagani Utopia
Photo: Pagani Automobili
Even more noteworthy, the transmission of choice for the Utopia is not your first guess. To our surprise, Pagani decided to not mount a weighty but precisely efficient dual-clutch transmission as anyone would presume, taking away driver feedback in exchange for exhilarating acceleration and speed. Instead, the brand desired to create the snappiest shifting automated gearbox boasting a helical gear mechanism conceivable. So, Pagani went to the renowned motorsport and high-performance automobile transmission manufacturer, Xtrac, which created a compact, light, and transversely mounted unit, greatly optimizing the center of gravity.

On the other hand, a "virtual manual" architecture was out of the question for the Pagani aficionados who strive for a pure manual driving experience, so Pagani went on a mission to create an authentic seven-speed manual transmission with synchronizer rings and enough strength to withstand the massive amount of strain from the insanely torquey twelve-cylinder powerplant, making this strictly manual application extremely difficult to engineer, but so essential in Pagani's vision for the Utopia.

Pagani Utopia
Photo: Pagani Automobili
In Horatio Pagani's mind, no matter how intelligent an automatic transmission implementation might turn out to be, nothing can replace the driver's own mastery of gearchanges making each change up or down completely individual, a result of unique decision and judgment, a precise set of circumstances, the nature of the road or even the mood of the moment. Ultimate driver involvement and control are key here, enabling future customers to choose between the best of both worlds when configuring their dream machines.

The visual appearance of the Utopia could be deemed a modern work of art on wheels. Soft curves and very few aerodynamic add-ons are the main design highlights, the function of various appendices being included in the vehicle's overall shape. From the windscreen's softened top edges to the intricacies of its wings and bonnet, the car's visual form has been honed and perfected to withstand the test of time.

A new kind of carbon fiber is used for the bodywork, according to Pagani, an architecture that increases rigidity without adding more bulk. The doors are now dihedral, and the enormous single-piece front and rear shells open up opposite one other to display all the mechanical parts beneath. For reference, the Huayra coupe featured gullwing doors, whereas the Zonda featured regular, front-hinged ones.

Pagani Utopia
Photo: Pagani Automobili
Moreover, Utopia's interior gets even more imaginative than its outer appearance, if that could even be conceivable. Horatio Pagani designed the car's interior cabin to be neither modern nor vintage. Apart from the small display in front of the driver, there are no other screens that could have diminished the vehicle's aesthetic appeal significantly, in his opinion. Each of the simple-to-read entirely analog dials on each instrument gently disclose a portion of its mechanism as if it were unveiling the skeletal movement.

The extensive use of top-quality leather and aluminum trims throughout the interior, coupled with a completely redesigned steering wheel and driving pedals constructed from single solid blocks of aluminum, transform the inside living space into a timeless, luxurious work of craftsmanship. Even more, the gear lever mechanism can still be visible like in other Pagani models but is now more complex than ever.

The Utopia is already in production, but sadly there will only be 99 instances of the automobiles in the initial run, and all of them have already been spoken for. The price of the hypercar is estimated at around $2.5 million. Considering the low manufacturing volumes, state-of-art engineering, and vivid design, it definitely comes at a high cost, but worth it for the select few who pursue a truly unique hypercar experience.

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About the author: Dan Marinescu
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Since his early childhood, Dan developed an avid passion for cars and, now he sees himself as a genuine petrolhead. His enthusiasm comes from his father, an automotive engineer. They love to reminisce about the days when his dad showed him the inner workings of an engine and why everything does what it does.
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