Sporting one of the largest V12 engines in the performance car sector, the Pagani Zonda C12 S 7,3 is one of the most powerful sports cars ever to grace the road. The Zonda is something of a rarity on South African soil, so CAR was very fortunate to gain access to one for its track shootout. On a deserted runway in the sweltering heat of Upington, the Zonda went head-to-head with other luminaries of the supercar worls, such as Lamborghini’s Gallardo Superleggera, the Audi R8, the Porsche 911 GT3 RS and Zuffenhausen’s ultimate giant-slayer, the Porsche 911 Turbo.Sporting one of the largest V12 engines in the performance car sector, the Pagani Zonda C12 S 7,3 is one of the most powerful sports cars ever to grace the road. The Zonda is something of a rarity on South African soil, so CAR was very fortunate to gain access to one for its track shootout. On a deserted runway in the sweltering heat of Upington, the Zonda went head-to-head with other luminaries of the supercar worls, such as Lamborghini’s Gallardo Superleggera, the Audi R8, the Porsche 911 GT3 RS and Zuffenhausen’s ultimate giant-slayer, the Porsche 911 Turbo.content here
At the heart of this Zonda lies a 7,3-litre powerplant derived from Mercedes’ 1995 SL 7,3 AMG. This unit churns out a mighty 414 kW at 5 900 r/min and powers the car to 100 km/h from standstill in just over 3,6 seconds. All of this power is transferred to the rear wheels via a six-speed manual transmission, while the top speed is a claimed figure of 354 km/h.
Although the Zonda is a hardcore personification of the performance car with little in the way of intrusive driver aids and requires it’s driver to possess a degree of intestinal fortitude. The C12 S, mercifully, sees the introduction of traction control to the Zonda range.
The Zonda first came into being when Horacio Pagani used his experience gained at Lamborghini to create the first prototype of the Zonda C12, which made its debut at the 1999 Geneva Auto Show. The company crept into the league of supercars with its extensive knowledge of carbon fibre construction techniques.
Like all other Zondas, the bodywork on the C12 S is constructed from carbon fibre, most of which remains unpainted to remind the owner of what lies under the glossy paint, as well as endowing this powerful performer with a kerb weight of just 1 350 kg…that’s 300 W/kg…the Porsche 911 Turbo only serves up 200 W/kg. The Zonda’s sensational lines owe themselves to Horacio Pagani’s time with Lamborghini and early styling assistance from the legendary Juan Manuel Fangio.
Even as a newcomer in the “super league”, Zonda is being compared to some of the bigger players that have taken years to establish themselves, including the likes of Ferrari, Porsche and even Konigsegg. Will the Zonda have what it takes to dominate the imposing line up in the Scorched Earth shootout or will the intense heat of Upington (and the competition) prove too much for the Zonda to take?
Click one of the options below to download a wallpaper of the: Pagani Zonda C12 S
You can also view a stunning video clip of the Pagani Zonda C12 S being put through its paces during CAR Magazine’s performance issue shootout.
Listen to the Pagani Zonda C12 S exhaust note.
