The great champion approved the project that would initially be called Fangio F1, but after Fangio died at 84, Pagani did not use that name for it. The car was named Zonda, as the famous and very strong wind of the Andes region of Argentina.
The Pagani Zonda F is the best tribute that could be given to an exceptional man like Juan Manuel Fangio, who was a true example of how an athlete should be in life, in and out of his professional activity.
Going into the characteristics of the Zonda F, it can be said that the improvements made make this supercar one of the greatest references in the world.
The engine presented in this Zonda F is the same V12 Mercedes AMG of 7,291 cm3 but evolved and optimized to reach a power of 602 hp at 6,150 rpm and a maximum torque of 561 pounds foot at 4,000 rpm. Zonda now accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.5 seconds and achieves a top speed of 345 km/h.
This dramatic increase in performance had to be offset by improvements to the chassis and brake system, which now features 380 x 34 mm ventilated discs with 6 piston jaw at the front and 355 x 32 mm with 4 piston jaw on the rear wheels.
As if all this were not enough, Pagani also offers a ClubSport version of the Zonda F ready to be used on racing tracks. This 650horsepower ClubSport version includes, for the first time in a Pagani car, combined composite disc brakes made of carbon and ceramic. Its dimensions are 380 x 34 mm with 6 piston jaw at the front and 380 x 34 mm with 4 piston jaw for the rear wheels.
The bodywork also received some modifications to compensate for the increase in the performance of the Zonda. To increase aerodynamic support, the spoiler was kept in front but a new full rear spoiler was used. An important objective was to increase the aerodynamic load without raising the drag level, in order to avoid damaging the efficiency of the Zonda.
The behavior of the new Zonda F is outstanding and the track tests performed by experts indicate that all the modifications made were successful. Air intakes were even added to cool the rear brakes in this type of driving conditions.
To complete the set, the independent suspensions on all four wheels are made of aluminum alloy and have double superimposed triangles with coil springs plus adjustable shock absorbers. The possibility of adjusting the shock absorbers together with the presence of anti-roll bars ensure optimum stability in almost any ground condition.
Inside, the Zonda F immediately draws attention to the use of red leather with a well-marked weave generated with the same seams in a contrasting dark tone. The combination of polished aluminum with exposed carbon fiber was used in many elements, such as the center console and the dashboard, to show off its natural weave of the fibers interlacing.
The interior maintains all the comfort elements offered in the previous models, such as custom-made leather seats, complete instruments, aluminum pedals, stereo with CD player and exchanger, air conditioner and satellite navigation system.
The soundproofing is excellent. Another factor highly praised by experts is the absence of vibrations in the passenger compartment. In a sports car with such characteristics, this detail makes it possible to assess the good design and its manufacturing process.
© Adrián Blanco 2006 — Prohibited the total or partial reproduction of text and/or images without explicit written consent of the author. —
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