The Pagani Huayra Epitome Is The Ultimate Driver’s Hypercar

The only Huayra with a manual transmission is an 864-horsepower missile.

Brandon Friederich

Jul 11, 2024

Pagani’s latest take on the Huayra hypercar is all about the powertrain. Pop open the gullwing doors and peruse the interior, which is largely finished in a mix of classic beige leather and raw carbon fiber. There, you’ll find a wood-knobbed stick protruding from a steampunk-evoking seven-speed gate and an unusually elegant third pedal. This is “Epitome,” the only Pagani Huayra to-date equipped with a manual transmission.

The client commissioned the creation through Pagani’s Grandi Complicazioni customization division, wanting to “create a unique example that would take the Huayra to its highest expression,” according to a statement from Lorenzo Kerkoc, head of Pagani Grandi Complicazioni.

Kerkoc continued, “In the initial meetings, the client shared his vision with Horacio Pagani and the team, starting a journey of listening and sharing ideas in perfect harmony to transform thoughts into concrete forms. This phase lasted nine months and led to a final conceptualization, followed by ten months of design work by an expert multidisciplinary team. It is a long and complex process because developing components dedicated to a single car requires the same time as those for series production cars.”

Back to the powertrain: Pagani sourced an Xtrac seven-speed traverse gearbox to feed 864 horsepower to the wheels. That substantial output is developed in a twin-turbo 6.0-liter V12 that was built by AMG to Pagani’s specifications. An electronically controlled differential, motorsport-derived tri-pod driveshaft, and a triple-disc flywheel clutch ensure that the maximum amount of the engine’s punch is pushed to the road. A six-way titanium exhaust sounds a ferocious roar made more so when a four-exhaust button is pressed.

Pagani also tweaked the suspension geometry to reduce dive in acceleration, pitch in braking, and roll in the corners, allowing the driver to brake later than usual before corners during spirited drives. For slightly rougher roads, Pagani has also included a “super soft” suspension button on the central transmission tunnel to provide extra cushion and comfort.

The forged aluminum alloy monolithic wheels of the Huayra Epitome are styled like those on the client’s Imola Coupé, with seven spokes at the front and nine spokes at the rear. The new front end features a bumper with an integrated splitter, designed at the customer’s request to increase downforce. A wider mouth allows more airflow to the new inner ducts, further improving aerodynamics and engine cooling. The Huayra Epitome is also the only Pagani one-off to feature four light units installed on the front hood and two DRL elements installed on the bumper, adding another exclusive element. The rear, too, was redesigned for the client, who wanted a hood with an integrated wing and a new aerodynamic cover for the rear lights to reduce airflow resistance.