Whisper to the Thunder Pagani Huayra Roadster

Nature has always provided mankind with the greatest of inspirations. Since the beginning, men have always found in the Earth’s inner life-force the solutions of their problems: trees suggested Ancient Mediterranean civilizations how to develop a proper vertical architecture to build stronger building; the constant evolution of the species and the adaptability of animals to the surroundings have shown how to create something that will last an eternity to the test of time; the balance between the elements have thought artists and architect the sense of harmony and geometrical perfection.

You might be surprised to learn that men have always been amazed by what surrounds them: just think about it, they have always tried to replicate the marvel of nature everywhere they went. Leonardo da Vinci marvelled at the skeleton of birds while Romans and the Greeks mastered the art of proportions and perfect symmetry by following precise formulae.

It might seem strange, but the approach creative minds have had throughout history hasn’t changed much. Nature is a great teacher of how to turn something complicated into something simple: this is exactly the approach of industrial design.

We can define beauty as the act of researching and putting together different elements and combining them in an harmonious and meaningful way. In simpler terms, it’s simplifying complexity, just like the finest industrial design.

Modernity revolutionized the way we look at machines. What once were conceived as blunt and tasteless tools that aided mankind in their daily lives, they transformed into objects able to transcend their original purpose. Probably the most notorious product of industrial design is the automobile. It’s the synthesis of physics, chemistry, style and logic.

Perhaps in the last 20 years, no other brand was able to capture the essence of automotive beauty as Pagani. In their factory in San Cesario sul Panaro outside Modena, they created an object of desire which is directly inspired by nature. As said above, the fury of the wind is the single element that is best suited to inspire a fast supercar. Truly, art and science can walk hand in hand and both the Zonda and the Huayra have always been objects (rather than mere cars) uniting the purposeful engineering to great overall styling.

The Company’s latest creation, the Huayra Roadster brings out the very best of this phylosophy: it’s the first roadster that weights less than the coupè (-80kg) and it features a full carbo-titanium and carbo triax HP52 monococque, 764hp from the AMG-built M158 60° twin turbo V12 engine, able to produce a whopping 1000Nm of torque. Its removable roof made of carbon-fibre and glass ensures perfect insulation from the environment and the latest AMT unit from X-Trac to ensure faster shifts over the cupé and weighs 40% less than a dual-clutch unit.

The lightweight HiForg alluminum alloy suspension assembly have allowed to have a 25% weight reduction over the coupé and it allows the Roadster to achieve an impressive 1.8G in lateral acceleration.

All this magnificent cathedral of carbon-fibre, aluminium and raw power translates into a tactile and docile fury. Responsive, agile, communicative, the Roadster behaviour on the road is the work of the chief test driver Andrea Palma, who thanks to his fiery attitude behind the wheel has set up a wonderful road-going supercar.

The svelte lines and muscular proportions will keep you hours gazing at this work of “simplification”. Drawing inspiration from nature, the Huayra could be seen as an example of “classicism in motion”: the harmony between delicacy and brute force is unique and well thought after.

The Roadster is a companion for your unique journeys and each moment spent behind the wheel is well spent. Even if the time available to you is ridiculously short and…rainy.

You’re never at ease when you have plenty of power underneath your right foot and the road is wet, cold and the tires won’t warm up properly. It’s in these unnerving and frustrating conditions that the tactile nature of the Roadster comes to life. It’s  like playing a 1959 Les Paul throught a 50 Watt Marshall: you can tailor the response of your equipment by simply changing your approach to it and not the other way around.

It’s like whispering to a thunder and actually being able to have a conversation. A gentle, light-earthed touch is capable of dominating a what is otherwise known as a pure fury.

Normally you wouldn’t test such a car to the limits on the open road. For now, our escape is a one dedicated of savouring this marvellous work of art rather than driving the heck out of it. Might seem off but it’s a respectful way to gaze at all the other wonderful elements that a car can be: a marvellous masterpiece of simple beauty.