€5m Pagani Imola revealed with 815bhp twin-turbocharged V12
As if the £2m Huayra BC wasn't enough, the Italian marque has unveiled yet another limited-run hardcore hypercar
The Pagani Huayra might almost be a decade old, but the small-scale Modena manufacturer hasn’t finished with it just yet. Following on from the hardcore BC of 2016, the Imola aims to improve on almost every aspect of the hypercar, in terms of both performance and useability.
Priced at an eye-watering €5m (£4.1m), it makes the €2.35m (£2m) Huayra BC seem somewhat of a bargain, but as steep as the price may be, all five examples have already been accounted for.
Named after the track on which it was developed, the Imola boasts the same 6-litre Mercedes-AMG-derived twin-turbocharged V12 as the Huayra, sending 815bhp and 811lb ft of torque to the rear wheels through a seven-speed Xtrac automatic transmission – that’s an increase of around 15bhp over the Huayra BC, with torque remaining the same.
> Pagani Huayra BC review - lighter, more powerful, faster... Look out, LaFerrari!
As with all models from the brand, weight saving is high on the agenda. Thanks to the use of innovative carbonfibre composites primarily derived from the track-only Zonda R, dry weight for the Imola sits at 1246kg, giving it a power-to-weight ratio of 654bhp per tonne, more than both the McLaren P1 and Ferrari LaFerrari.
Despite its low weight, the total figure is 28kg higher than that of the Huayra BC, likely due to its focus on driveability alongside all-out performance. Company founder Horacio Pagani made it clear that the model was designed for on-road useability, despite its performance focus: ‘We could have reduced the ground clearance so as to increase the downforce effect by taking advantage of the vehicle’s flat bottom. But don’t forget, the public roads are very uneven and can lead to the loss of several hundred kilograms of downforce in just a few instants.’
Commenting on the Imola’s design, Pagani also said, ‘We can’t say that it’s an elegant car,’ but went on to say that ‘[the design] also allowed us to improve lap time, ease of driving and especially safety’.
Setting it apart from previous models is fettled suspension geometry for more stability, improved aero to sit alongside the Huayra’s trademark active aerodynamics system and the same, improved carbon-composite central monocoque as used in the Roadster BC.
An improved version of the Huayra’s carbon-ceramic 398mm six-pot front, 380mm four-pot rear Brembo braking system also sits behind the staggered 21’ and 20-inch wheel set, with sticky 265 front, 355 rear Pirelli Trofeo R tyres helping to turn all 815bhp to speed. Other tweaks include the introduction of ‘SMART GAS’ for decreased shift times, and electronically adjustable shock absorbers.
Much like the track-only Zonda R, Pagani says that the Imola has been used as a test bed for various technologies seen on the Roadster BC, as well as future models. A first for the Imola is the marque’s new ‘Acquarello Light’ painting system, reducing overall weight by 5kg whilst maintaining the same protection and finish as before.
