voicekiller

There have been some rumours floating around the Internet that Mercedes is being 'difficult' with regard to supplying engines for the car that is to replace the Zonda. I understand that your company isn't that interested in commenting on Internet rumours and I don't need or expect a response. I'm a car fan who's unlikely to ever be able to afford one of your cars, but I'd love to share some thoughts I've been having on your future.

I'm sure the reasons for Mercedes not wanting to supply engines to Pagani are multi-faceted, but one can understand that it does pose a conflict when they are supposed to be in partnership with McLaren to
produce sports cars. Why would they want to compete with themselves? Secondly, the majority of their V12 engines are now using turbo chargers, so it seems like it would be hard for them to make a economic case for producing a handful of naturally aspirated engines for
a manufactuerer with limited exposure like Pagani.

The obvious solution to this problem would seem to be that Pagani produce their own bespoke engine. While this fits well with the tradition of Modenese sports car manufacturers, I think there may be a better
solution, BMW.

BMW has been very receptive to independent sports car producers, supplying engines to Morgan, Ascari, Wiesmann, Supercars Limited Hulme.F1 and let's not forget the car most similar in spirit to the Zonda,
the McLaren F1. I'm sure BMW would relish the thought of supplying engines to Pagani. Not only would this put one of their engines back into the realm of world class sports cars, but it would also mean that they
are effectively poaching a Mercedes account. I think it would be an attractive proposition for all sides.

The question of what engine to use would be up to you. I'm sure there is huge potential left in the V10 used in the M5 and M6. Perhaps it could be tuned to provide the 600+ horsepower a car like the Zonda deserves. I also wonder how an evolution of the V12 that once powered the McLaren F1 would fair. I'm sure that application of technologies developed since that engine was created in the early 1990s could easily push that engine over the 650 horsepower mark and leave the Enzo behind. Let's not forget that a partnership with BMW might also allow Pagani to offer BMW's SMG transmission, which automotive purists wouldn't like, but I'm sure some of your customers would appreciate.

Anyway, that was just a few thoughts your average Zonda fan was having. I would guess that you've had many of the same discussions there, but if you haven't perhaps my ideas will lead you in a direction you
hadn't considered.

Thanks.

jcsaleen

Well my fave engines are Modular V8 -ford GT engine. Flat 6 dauer 962 engine. 27B a monster! 780 Hp N/a its also known as a rotary but with FOUR rotors instead of 2! Another the N/a light weight V12 in the F1 of course. Thats really it besides the Rb26Dett

__________________

Another way of looking at this equation is that an F1 would need "only" 740 hp to reach the Bugatti's top speed.

voicekiller

I was trying to be realistic in my proposal.

Condsidering the lambasting Koenigsegg takes over the fact that it uses a Ford Racing block for it's CCR, you can gaurantee that Pagani will not consider the lesser Modular V8.

The Porsche engine in the Dauer is now really old and streched just about as far as the flat six will go (realizing that there are highly tuned versions of flat-sixes putting out massive horsepower). The noise the flat six makes in comparison to a V-12 and the flat sixes inability to make useable power when compared to a V-12 seem to make it less than an ideal candidate.

The 27B is interesting and I'd love to see someone building a rotary supercar, I don't see the Zonda as being ideally suited to it. Being the Mazda is the only company making rotary engines, they seem like the only people who have the history and knowledge with the powerplant to pull it off.

jcsaleen

Yea Koenigsegg really is a crook for what they did.

__________________

Another way of looking at this equation is that an F1 would need "only" 740 hp to reach the Bugatti's top speed.