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Pagani Huayra: Steampunk Hypercar (pictures)

The Pagani Huayra is one of the most exclusive hypercars money can buy. We take a long look at what you get for your money.

CNET Reviews staff
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Its gullwing doors are an homage to the Mercedes-Benz 300SL.
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Pagani has had a long relationship with Mercedes-Benz. AMG has provided all Pagani engines since the company started.
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The Huayra is named after a god of wind.
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The active aero flaps allow the Huayra to keep its smooth lines yet give the downforce needed to keep it stuck to the road on demand.
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Quad exhausts are a Pagani trademark.
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Even just a few miles from the factory, the Huayra attracts a lot of attention form the locals.
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The Huayra has a bi-turbo 6.0-litre V-12 engine.
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The Huayra was first unveiled at the 2011 Geneva Motorshow.
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Pagani revealed its first car, The Zonda, at the 1999 Geneva Motor Show.
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Horatio Pagani was born in Argentina but moved to Italy in order to make supercars.
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Pagani worked for Lamborghini and developed some of the latter versions of the Countach.
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Pagani specialised in working with composite materials, a key component in all Pagani cars.
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Pagani founded Modena Design and some early Zondas still bare that name on the bodywork.
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The first designs for the Zonda were penned in 1993, six years before the car was unveiled.
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The Huayra took even longer to develop, with work starting in 2003.
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At around a million Euros, the Huayra is one of the most exclusive cars in the world.
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Currently there are only a few cars that can call themselves hypercars and the Huayra is definitely one of them.
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The Huayra has a monocoque construction.
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The single piece tub is made from carbotanium and other composites.
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Carbotanium is a method of combining a beta titanium alloy with advanced carbon composites.
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This construction gives both strength and a small amount of elasticity.
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This makes the Huayra significantly safer. And bulletproof.
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It is remarkable how light each of the components on the Huayra are.
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It weighs just 1,350 kgs. A Ford Focus ST Estate weighs in at 1,437 kgs.
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That's 2,980 pounds.
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The Huayra is equipped with Brembo brakes.
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720 bhp lives in there.
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The signature you want to see on your car.
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Every detail is meticulous on the Huayra.
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The interior is something to behold.
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Pagani worked with AMG to develop a custom engine for the Huayra, a rare privilege for a company outside of Mercedes-Benz.
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Horatio Pagani describes his marque in three words: Art, Passion and Technology.
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He wants the car to feel like a plane taking off, apparently.
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These active aero flaps deploy under braking and gently wave at the driver.
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Even under the hood the Huayra is stunning.
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MHG-Fahrzeugtechnik designed and built the titanium exhaust system.
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Good advice.
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All of these components are coloured to the buyer's spec. Want purple components? Of course, sir.
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The engine has been designed with minimal turbo lag.
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Power delivery is much smoother because of it.
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The sound of the turbos is mesmerising.
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You can't help but feel it's halfway to being a robot in disguise.
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The Huayra looks like a half-opened Christmas present with all of the doors open, begging you to play with it.
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It's rare to see something as visually captivating as this in 2013.
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It cuts a fine figure when it's naked, doesn't it?
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Each body panel of made of carbon fibre -- which means it's incredibly light.
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Fun fact: The weave of the CF panels has to line up along the car. If it doesn't, the panel is rejected.
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The Pagani badge is carved out of a single block of aluminium.
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It takes 24 hours to make.
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Zero to 62 mph happens in 3.3 seconds.
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Its top speed is 230 mph.
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Its 6.0-litre twin turbo V-12 provides 740 lb.ft.
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All of that is delivered through the rear wheels.
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Pagani is pretty much alone in using a single clutch gearbox on its hypercar -- the others all went dual.
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The reason for this is that the extra weight needed for a dual clutch 'box (70kg on top of the 96kg already there) would negate the faster gearchange.
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As a result, the Huayra is a little quicker. Though the gearchange can be a bit jerky. This gallery looks exclusively at the exterior of the Huayra. Our full gallery on the interior is here.

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