The Pagani Zonda is not a new car. Even the last of the track-only Zonda Rs, the Revolucion, made its debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed presented by Mastercard 11 years ago in 2012. So why do we have one on the Hill in 2023 and why are we talking to you about one today?
Well, this car has been entered by Lanzante, of Le Mans-winning fame with the McLaren F1. You might also know Lanzante as a company with a habit of taking specifically track-focused cars and modifying them for road use. They’ve done it with a whole host of McLarens – F1 GTRs, P1 GTRs, Senna GTRs. Now, the entirely track-focused Zonda Revolucion has been plated up too.
So what we’re met with is a car we’re very much used to seeing being caned up the Hill here at Goodwood and indeed, being spanked around tracks around the world. The crucial difference is this Zonda R rides a little higher, screams a little quieter, has comfier seats and number plates. So once at the end of our Hill, it could quite legally (and relatively comfortably) trundle out onto the road, up the A3 back to Lanzante’s HQ, without fear of blue flashing lights in the rear-view camera.
Happily, it’s here all weekend to give that 6.0-litre V12 some exercise and good lord, that sound doesn’t get old. Nor does the performance. Road legality doesn’t mean the AMG V12 has been neutered, with it still putting out well over 700PS (515kW).
Thankfully, while being the first, it won’t be the last road-legal Zonda R to be made, with five to be made in total. Lanzante has been pretty open in recent years about its interest in these kind of low-volume special projects. It’s also developing an open-top version of the McLaren P1 hypercar, while deliveries of its TAG F1-engined Porsche 911s are ongoing. It’s also looking into road legalisation for the ‘new’ Porsche 935, the limited-run special based on the 911 GT2 Clubsport. What on Earth will they think of next?
Photography by Jordan Butters and Jochen Van Cauwenberge.
Lanzante
Pagani
Zonda R
FOS 2023
Festival of Speed
FOS
Festival of Speed
Festival of Speed
Festival of Speed