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1999 Pagani Zonda C12

1999 Pagani Zonda C12

1999 Pagani Zonda C12

The Zonda C12 was the first vehicle produced by Pagani Atelier and was presented at the 1999 Geneva Motor Show. The exotic coupe had a curved windshield and the interior was equally impressive, fashioned after a fighter jet.

Leveraging his experience at Lamborghini, Pagani used carbon fiber extensively in the first Pagani, an especially impressive decision given how unique and original the design Zonda C12 was. “The shape had to be sensual, the wheel arches should recall a woman’s bosoms, the rear bonnet the hips,” CEO Horacio Pagani notes. “Inside, the seats would be shaped like an inverted pyramid to wrap around the shoulders, giving a sense of power to the man, and protection to the woman. A complicated search of simple ideas. In a word: the Zonda.”

At launch, the Mercedes-source 6.0-liter V12 produced 394 (293 kW) and 420 pound-feet (570 Newton-meters). That’s a far cry from the 800-hp Pagani on offer today. But with a five-speed manual transmission, and thanks in part to a lightweight design (tipping the scales at 2,755 pounds), the C12 could hit 60 miles per hour (96 kilometers per hour) in a segment-rivaling 4.2 seconds, with a top speed of around 185 mph (297 kmh).

Specs & Performance

submitted by Richard Owen
price $ $280 000 USD
engine Mercedes V12
displacement 5987 cc / 365.3 in³
power 293.8 kw / 394.0 bhp @ 5200 rpm
specific output 65.81 bhp per litre
bhp/weight bhp per tonne
torque 570 nm / 420.4 ft lbs @ 3800 rpm
body / frame Carbon Fibre
front tires 255/40/18
rear tires 345/35/18
front brakes Brembo Vented Discs w/Hydraulic Assist
f brake size x 355 mm / x 14.0 in
rear brakes Brembo Vented Discs w/Hydraulic Assist
r brake size x 335 mm / x 13.2 in
steering Rack & Pinion w/Power Assist
wheelbase 2730 mm / 107.5 in
front track 1675 mm / 65.9 in
rear track 1660 mm / 65.4 in
length 4345 mm / 171.1 in
width 1933 mm / 76.1 in
transmission 6-Speed Manual
gear ratios :1
top speed ~297.7 kph / 185.0 mph