There are more high-end cars than just Ferrari and Lamborghini. ‘Alternative-Brand Super Cars’ is a new series devoted to exploring the masterful machines created around the world by some of the more obscure, yet highly talented, automakers in existence.

During its entire existence, Italy-based car maker Pagani has only made 131 cars. Not types or brands of cars, but functioning vehicles! The newest bunch of this small number is represented by the Pagani Huayra, named after the Andean god of wind. When looking at this vehicle, the first thing you’ll notice is that it is a work of art, which makes sense, as the man who created it considers himself an artist more so than an engineer. Here is an analysis of this intense super car, starting with a brief introduction of the man himself…

Horacio Pagani

Horacio Pagani was born in Argentina, but descended from Italian immigrants. He used to draw car designs, when he was a young boy, and proceed to make little cars out of wood. While the boy had a knack for engineering, he enjoyed practicing art and design, and loved when the two could be married. At the humble age of 20, Pagani created an original F3 race car. He moved to Italy in 1983 with wide eyes and big dreams, and a desire to create a ‘super car’, a masterclass of design and performance. After serving as an engineer at Lamborghini for a time, he created his own company, Pagani Engineering, to pursue that dream.

Build

The Huayra is Pagani’s dream realized, and the primary reason to own that vehicle is it’s incredible build. This car, simply put, is gorgeous. The composite metal, designed by Pagani, is not only light and efficient, but impeccable crafted so that the carbon grid aligns perfectly around the vehicle. This car was certainly painstakingly designed by a perfectioning, and it definitely looks that way. Without a drop of paint, the exterior, while still being incredibly aerodynamic, looks like, for lack of a better word, art.

Performance

With a 6.0 liter engine and a top speed of 238, the Huayra doesn’t slow down when it comes to precision engineering. The car can reach 62 mph in 3 seconds with its zippy twin-turbo engine (V12) called the M158. This engine also gifts the car with 730 horsepower, and an incredibly low center of gravity, thanks to its strategic position. This makes this speed demon much easier to handle. Many other aspects of the car lower the weight, as well, such as the single disc clutch, or the mounting of the expansion tank directly on the engine, rather than using pipes to connect it.