18 January 2017
The Huayra BC is the latest creation of the Italo-Argentine Horacio Pagani. The entrepreneur, who in 1999 founded Pagani Automobili at San Cesario sul Panaro, in the province of Modena, has succeeded over time in carving out a place in the front rank of hypercar constructors, thanks to his obsessive attention to detail and constant reliance on innovative design. And the BC is a particularly fine example of the state of the art in automotive technology: carbon-fiber frame and body, twin-turbocharged V12 engine, aluminum and magnesium suspension and much more. But first things first. The name BC comes from the initials of Benny Caiola, Pagani’s first customer, and only 20 of them have been built. The twin-turbocharged V12 is made by Mercedes-AMG and produces around 800 hp. The gearbox is unprecedented: an Xtrac seven-speed automated manual transmission with a transverse layout, it is fitted with an electro–hydraulic actuation system and carbon-fiber synchronizers, with a new electronically controlled active differential—solutions that have reduced the weight by around 40% in comparison with a dual-clutch gearbox. The suspension is another masterpiece of lightness and efficiency: the components are made out of HiForg, an extremely light and high-strength aluminum alloy originally designed for aeronautical use. With the result that the BC, despite an overall length of 427 cm (168 in), has a curb weight of no more than 1.200 kg (2,645 lbs). The doors open like a bird’s wings and the aerodynamics have been reworked to increase the downforce. Thanks to wind tunnel tests carried out with Gian Paolo Dallara, another great designer of high-performance cars, the efficiency of the rear wing, the underbody and all the internal ducts has been maximized. In addition to the two standard drive modes (Comfort and Sport), the BC has added a third, the Track. And the brakes? Brembo carbon-ceramic discs of 20 and 21 inches with Pirelli P Zero Corsa tires developed for the purpose. As always, Horacio Pagani has not stooped to compromises, riding the thin line between road vehicle and racer and producing the lightest hypercar on the market. Another challenge met.
