Horacio Pagani believes that art and engineering aren’t mutually exclusive, and his passion for both can clearly be seen in every automobile that bears his name. While the video below is long (nearly half an hour), we think it’s well worth watching, as it gives you a very intimate look at the man behind one of the world’s most exclusive supercar manufacturers.
While brands like Lamborghini and Ferrari churn out thousands of cars per year, Pagani builds less than two-dozen. In fact, at its current facility, production is limited to just 20 cars per year, which is why the manufacturer will soon occupy a larger facility. Its capacity? Around 40 cars per year.
That quantity is just about right for Horacio Pagani, who seems to have a personal relationship with each and every one of his customers (who he refers to as family). It’s clear that employees are family, too, as evidenced by the number of Pagani tattoos proudly displayed by the craftsmen who build the cars.
No expense is spared in the construction of a Pagani, and no detail is overlooked. The carbon fiber monocoques use a unique carbon fiber cloth that contains embedded strands of titanium, which adds to the tub’s overall strength and ability to dissipate energy. Sure, it’s significantly more expensive than conventional carbon fiber cloth, but that’s beside the point. It’s the best material available, so that’s what Pagani uses.
Most of us will never have the $1.4 million or so it takes to put a Pagani Huayra into your collection, but that’s beside the point. For those of us with 10w 30 in our veins, knowing that a genius like Horacio Pagani is building cars without compromise is enough.
Kurt Ernst has been passionate about automobiles and driving nearly his entire life. His early years were shaped working in the family service station, though his real passion was auto racing. After graduating from the University of Colorado, Kurt spent a year club racing with the Sports Car Club of America, before focusing on a business career in marketing and project management. Later, his passion for writing and the automotive hobby found him freelancing for a variety of automotive news sites, including Automotive Addicts and Motor Authority, where his work was syndicated and appeared in several national publications. Recognized as an expert in the automotive field, Kurt joined Hemmings Motor News as an Associate Editor in 2013, and in the years since has progressed to Editor, Hemmings Daily; Managing Editor for Hemmings Motor News, Hemmings Classic Car, Hemmings Muscle Machines, and the Hemmings Daily; and now, Managing Editor, Hemmings Auctions. Kurt was instrumental in organizing the Hemmings Motor News Concours d’Elegance from 2013-2019, and has served as a judge at this event and The Vintage Racing Stable Concours d’Elegance. A Skip Barber Racing School graduate and prolific writer, Ernst is also skilled in copyediting, project management, brand development, and public relations.
