Pagani Huayra BC (2016) revealed: Pagani tears down the Huayra and builds up a monster

Updated: 01 March 2016

 Pagani’s highly evolved Huayra BC
New body, suspension, powertrain
20 to be built, around €2.35m a go 

Trailered on Instagram, spied on track and now revealed in full, this is the faster, louder and all-round spectacular Pagani Huayra BC.

It’s a more hardcore, focused variant of the already pretty special Pagani Huayra supercar. There have been a host of upgrades, including a hike in power to near 800bhp.

Only 20 will be built but, if you’d like to see one, a BC is on display at the 2016 Geneva motor show in March.

Why is it called the Huayra BC?

It’s named after Pagani’s first ever Zonda customer, Benny Caiola.

A message from company founder Horacio Pagani on the Huayra BC’s landing site reads: ‘Dear Benny, I dedicate the Huayra BC to you, from my heart.’

Unlike 2010’s super-duper Zonda R, the Huayra BC is road legal, albeit very much track-focused.

What separates the BC from an ‘ordinary’ Pagani Huayra?

Quite a bit, actually – the Huayra’s been given a pretty thorough going over. Its body, chassis and powertrain have all changed substantially.

The 6.0-litre twin-turbo AMG-built V12 has had its power and torque wound up to around 750bhp and 811lb ft, yet it still meets Euro emissions regulations. Part of the hike in output is thanks to a redesigned, part-titanium exhaust system, which is less restrictive and also lighter.

That power figure’s still a work in progress pending final testing, though; more is possible. Likewise the top speed, with Pagani quoting a potential figure in excess of 220mph.

The gearbox is a brand new seven-speed automated manual developed by specialists Xtrac. Drive is transmitted through an electronically controlled differential sprouting tripod-shaped driveshafts, similar to those of a Le Mans prototype. The combined weight of gearbox and differential is as much as 40% lower than the regular Huayra’s transmission, helping boost performance and improve the car’s handling.

Likewise, the suspension’s had a redesign, including the uprights, to cut 25% from its total weight. The 20/21in front and rear wheels are wrapped in specially developed Pirelli tyres, with optional track-only tyres said to enable the BC to corner at 2g.

Kerbweight for the BC as a whole comes in at an impressively trim 1218kg. That’s more than 130kg less than a regular Huayra.

Pagani says not a single body panel is shared with the existing Huayra, with every section, including the roof, reshaped in the quest for maximum downforce and cooling.

How much?

That’ll be €2.35m, plus local taxes. Still, don’t be surprised if all 20 Huayra BCs are sold out already. If it sounds like your cup of tea, best board a plane to Modena immediately and call your bank manager on the way.

Read more of CAR’s 2016 Geneva motor show coverage here

Click here for CAR’s A-Z guide to the 2016 Geneva motor show

By James Taylor

Former features editor for CAR, occasional racer

Comments