Driver's Notebook: An Exclusive Spin in Supercar Valley
June 4, 2002
Sculpting Dreams In Carbon Fiber
If you visit Modena Design’s headquarters in Castelfranco Emilia, don’t miss the battered toy cars proudly displayed in a glass case. They are Horacio Pagani’s first attempts at car design, when the baker’s son was just a boy. Growing up in South America, Pagani had few opportunities to realize this early passion for automobile design. When he began his professional life, his efforts were restricted to creating trailers and caravans. Still, Pagani gained valuable experience with lightweight materials. So when the jobless Argentinean presented himself to Lamborghini, he had more to offer than raw enthusiasm.; function voidFunc() { } voidFunc(); "Paganini C12S")
Pagani gradually parlayed a small job in the Sant’Agata factory into a more responsible position, leading Lamborghini’s early experiments with carbon fiber. His work culminated in the experimental Countach Evoluzione, the world’s first composite chassis sports car. When Lamborghini pulled the plug on Pagani’s baby, the designer saw his chance. He bought Italy’s first carbon fiber autoclave and founded Modena Design, creating specialized parts for Ferrari, Dallara, Aprilia and, of course, Lamborghini. (Click image to enlarge)
Drawing on Modena Design’s commercial success, Pagani returned to his boyhood ambitions, and the Zonda slowly took shape. Pagani personally designed every single part, from the alloy suspension arms to the brushed aluminium toggle switches. The latest Italian supercar made its international debut at the Geneva Auto Show in spring 2000. Glowing press reports gradually spread the word to the car-collecting elite, creating enough demand for some 25 cars per year. Sr. Pagani’s life is now spent refining the Zonda’s performance and style, and designing his next exquisite toy.
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