At Belgium’s legendary Spa-Francorchamps circuit, Mat Watson, the host of the carwow YouTube channel, was invited to an exclusive customer track event to experience the new Pagani Huayra R Evo Roadster—an extreme, open-top evolution of the already formidable Huayra R.
This isn’t just a Huayra with some weight stripped out and a roll cage bolted in. It’s a ground-up racing machine developed with motorsport expertise from AMG’s HWA division. Even the chassis and V12 powertrain are unique to this model, and the car complies with FIA Le Mans Hypercar safety standards despite not being built for competition.
Aerodynamically, the Evo features a longer body—30 cm more than the original Huayra R—with a reshaped front splitter and rear tail. Inspired by long-tail Le Mans racers like the Porsche 917, this design generates downforce exceeding 1,400 kg at 320 km/h, surpassing the car’s weight.
The naturally aspirated V12, developed exclusively by HWA, now produces 900 horsepower and revs to 9,200 rpm. It’s paired with a custom gearbox explicitly designed for this chassis. Without mufflers, the car reaches a peak of 140 decibels, louder than most race circuits permit.
