Guide: Pagani Zonda C12 F 7.3 — Supercar Nostalgia

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Background

Six years after the Zonda made its international salon debut, Pagani revealed an updated variant that incorporated the most far-reaching changes to the platform witnessed so far.

Dubbed Zonda F in honour of Horacio Pagani’s fellow Argentine and five-time Formula 1 World Champion, Juan Manual Fangio, this latest iteration was unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show in March 2005. A production run of 50 units was announced that would be split equally between Coupe and Roadster body styles.

The F arrived six months after Pagani displayed the one-off track-focused Zonda Monza which had featured an array of weight-saving measures in addition to a more potent power unit and tuned chassis set-up.

Many of the Monza’s performance enhancing ingredients were subsequently transferred to the Zonda F while a variety of new elements were also incorporated with the aim of reducing weight, increasing rigidity and optimising airflow.

Accordingly, the F ushered in the biggest package of revisions yet seen on the critically acclaimed Zonda of which Pagani had completed a little over 50 units since its introduction just before the turn of the century.

Chassis

For this latest application, the Zonda’s composite tub featured a new type of 3D carbon weave that saved weight with no loss of strength or rigidity. A 2730mm wheelbase was carried over from the existing car.

More kilos were cut as a result of chrome molybdenum steel subframes that had been honed a little thinner than before. The front subframe supported the suspension, power-assisted steering box and various auxiliary systems. It was also deformable in the event of a frontal impact. The rear subframe carried the engine, gearbox and suspension.

Like the Monza, adjustable Ohlins dampers were installed. These sophisticated gas-filled hydraulic dampers allowed the driver to select from 15 settings in both bounce and rebound. Stiffer springs were also fitted and ride height was lowered by 10mm compared to earlier Zonda road cars (although this was once again electronically adjustable from within the cockpit).

The suspension arms were now fashioned from magnesium alloy to save yet more weight and the geometry was reworked to optimise the enormous new tyres.

As usual, the suspension layout comprised double wishbones all round along with anti-roll bars at either end. Anti-dive and anti-squat geometry was fitted as well.

Customers could now specify 380mm carbon ceramic brake discs as an option. If not taken up, Pagani fitted conventional steel discs with those at the front enlarged from 355mm to 380mm while those at the back went from 335mm to 355mm. Both brake systems were supplied by Brembo with six-piston calipers installed up front and fours at the rear.

The reason Pagani was able to incorporate the massive new 380mm discs was thanks to larger diameter wheels now manufactured by APP as opposed to OZ Racing. Instead of the 18-inch rims used previously, the fronts were increased to 19-inches while those at the rear were now a massive 20-inch diameter. The rears stayed at 13-inches wide but the fronts were reduced by half-an-inch to 9-inches wide.

New titanium nuts wheel nuts were fitted along with the latest Michelin Pilot Sport 2 tyres (255/35 ZR20 front and 335/30 ZR20 rear).

An 85-litre fuel tank located in the lower section behind the cockpit was retained.

Engine / Gearbox

In the engine bay was a further uprated version of the Mercedes-Benz Type M120 AMG 7.3-litre power unit. These were longitudinally-mounted 60° V12s with wet-sump lubrication, an aluminium alloy block and heads, dual overhead camshafts and four valves per cylinder.

Having previously been installed without any further modification, that changed with the Zonda F. The cylinder heads were uprated for improved flow, hot camshafts were installed and the ECU was re-mapped.

The intake and exhaust systems also came in for attention.

A new induction system with larger intake manifolds and hydroformed aluminium alloy intake plenum with reduced 1mm wall thickness replaced the standard Mercedes-Benz unit.

The exhaust manifolds were hydroformed as well; standard equipment was a 1mm thick stainless steel arrangement while a 0.7mm Inconel superalloy system was offered an an optional extra. The exhausts and silencers were made by MHG in Germany; equal length pipes on the manifold were bent F1 style and ceramic coating was employed to keep temperatures down.

Displacement was an unchanged 7291cc thanks to a bore and stroke of 91.5mm and 92.4mm respectively. A 10.0:1 compression ratio was also retained.

Peak output was now 594bhp at 6150rpm and 560lb-ft 4000rpm.

For comparison, the outgoing Zonda S had produced 555bhp at 5900rpm and 553lb-ft at 4050rpm.

Customers that wanted even more performance could tick the 641bhp Club Sport option.

Transmission was through Pagani’s own six-speed manual gearbox, a twin-plate AP clutch, a self-locking differential and a traction control system. Stronger gearbox internals and new ratios were installed while shifts became quicker and easier.

Bodywork

For the first time, the Zonda’s bodywork came in for some fairly significant surgery as a result of much time spent in the wind-tunnel.

A bigger chin splitter was combined with a new single-piece low drag rear spoiler mounted on two central aluminium alloy pylons and positioned lower down and further back than before. A pair of Gurney flaps were also added to the trailing edge of the engine cover and a new rear diffuser was installed. The result was double the downforce of previous Zondas but with less drag.

Cooling was improved with bigger, re-profiled front air intakes replacing the boxy rectangular type used previously. Further back, additional ducts were carved out from the tops of the rear fenders which featured electronically optimised internal ducting that fed air to a carbonfibre collector box mounted above the gearbox.

Styling tweaks saw the indicators moved up to a one-piece exposed carbonfibre headlight shroud. The exterior mirrors were moved from high up on the A pillars to atop the front fenders in order to comply with new EU regulations that required that the mirrors extend beyond the bodyline of the car.

At the back, the exposed carbonfibre tail fascia was comprehensively reworked with re-shaped cooling grilles and new lighting.

Body panels were fashioned entirely from carbonfibre and in as few sections as possible. New production techniques enabled further weight-saving.

Interior

Unlike the rest of the car, Pagani left the Zonda F’s interior largely unchanged with just a few minor switchgear changes along with new wooden inserts for the steering wheel, gear knob and handbrake lever.

Instrumentation was housed in a simple oval binnacle with a natural aluminium finish to match the pod-style air vents and centre console fascia.

Large analogue read outs for road and engine speed were flanked to the left by a fuel gauge and to the right by a water temperature dial. Also off to the right-hand side were myriad warning lights. At the base of the instrument binnacle was a digital screen that provided the driver with all kinds of additional information.

Upholstery was a mix of carpet, leather and alcantara.

Standard equipment included air-conditioning, electric windows, electric mirrors, a high end audio system and a pair of suitcases that could be stowed in exposed carbonfibre luggage bins ahead of the rear wheels.

Options / Club Sport

Pagani’s new Club Sport option saw the installation of even more radical camshafts, a further optimised intake system and the Inconel exhaust. Peak output went to 641bhp at 6200rpm and 575lb-ft at 4000rpm (up from 594bhp at 6150rpm and 560lb-ft 4000rpm respectively).

In addition to the Club Sport pack, Inconel exhaust and carbon brakes, customers could configure their Zonda F with any body colour (to include full exposed carbonfibre) and a choice of interior surface materials.

Weight / Performance

In standard trim the Zonda F weighed 1230kg which was 20kg less than the outgoing S.

Top speed went from 211mph to 217mph while the 0-62mph time dropped from 3.7 seconds to 3.5.

In October 2007 a Zonda F Club Sport driven by Marc Basseng broke the official production car record around the Nurburgring with a lap time of 7 minutes 27.82 seconds beating the existing time set by a Porsche Carrera GT by almost four seconds.

Zonda F Roadster

Pagani unveiled the Zonda F Roadster at the Geneva Motor Show in March 2006, twelve months after the Coupe had made its debut.

Compared to previous iterations of the open top Zonda, the F version featured a strengthened firewall structure, a further reinforced windscreen and billet alloy braces that connected the points where the roof rails would originally have resided.

Weight was officially unchanged from the Coupe variant as were the performance figures.