Pagani Automobili S.p.A. is an Italian automobile manufacturer of high-performance supercars and high quality carbon fiber that Lamborghini also uses in its cars. The company was founded by Horacio Pagani , an Argentine company manufacturer, living in Italy; at San Cesario sul Panaro (Modena, Italy). Also involved at the outset was Juan Manuel Fangio , a five-time Formula One champion who helped him get a job with Lamborghini.
In 1988, Horacio Pagani, former manager of Lamborghini's composite department put up Pagani Composite Research . This new company worked extensively with Lamborghini on numerous projects, including the restyling of the Countach Anniversary , P140 and the Diablo . It was also during this time that Horacio started conceptualizing his own car, then called the "C8 Project," and eventually showing his drawings to Juan Manuel Fangio who he planned to name the car after (as the Fangio F1).
In 1991 Horacio Pagani set up Modena Design to meet the increasing demand for the services of design, engineering, model construction, moulds and prototypes. In 1992, he started construction of the prototype for the Fangio F1 and by 1993, they were testing the car at the Dallara wind tunnel, to positive results. It was around then that Fangio introduced Pagani to Mercedes-Benz and by 1994, they agreed to supply a V12 engine.
The final car, now called the Zonda C12 (the Fangio F1 name was dropped out of respect for Juan Manuel Fangio who had passed away) was presented at the 1999 Geneva Motor Show .
In 2005, Pagani announced that they planend to triple their production output within the next three years and at the same time, enter into the US market by 2007.
While it is an independent company, Pagani has a working relationship with DaimlerChrysler , most notably, with AMG . AMG supplies and develops V12 engines for Pagani, for years now the Zonda has used increasingly more developed versions of the M120 V12, starting with the 6.0 litre to the current 7.3 litre developed from the engine used in the SL73 AMG . Outside of that, Pagani has also helped with the developement of the Chrysler ME Four-Twelve supercar.
Pagani's only model, the Zonda , is propelled by mid-mounted V-12 DOHC engines manufactured by Mercedes-Benz 's AMG division. The engines are for exclusive use on this vehicle. The car's design was inspired by jet fighters and the famous Sauber-Mercedes Silver Arrow Group C cars. Many motoring journalists say that the Zonda F is one of the best supercars in the world. One of the most distinctive features of a Pagani is its stylized exhaust pipe.
Pagani has already announced that a new car, not based on the Zonda, temporarilly called the C9 will be introduced in the near future utilizing the next-generation Mercedes-Benz V12. The target for the vehicle is for it to have around 627 lb ft. of torque coupled with a new Bosch traction control system. If this pushes through, this new model will be the first Pagani supercar to feature traction control. The car will also feature full active aerodynamics, replacing the exposed wings of the Zonda.
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