Photo: Tom Fraser
Melbourne in March, what a place to be... The cars, and every photo, video and location of the fabled - yet shrouded in secrecy and mystery - Pagani Raduno 'Pacific Run' 2018. If you want to know why Melbourne was abuzz with multi-million dollar bespoke Italian hypercars in the month of March, we've done our best to summarise what really was a near-surreal time for car enthusiasts in Australia.
The shape had to be sensual, the wheel arches should recall a woman's bosoms, the rear bonnet the hips. Inside, the seats would be shaped like an inverted pyramid to wrap around the shoulders, giving a sense of power to the man, and protection to the woman. A complicated search of simple ideas.
- Horacio Pagani
It's no secret that Melbourne is fast becoming a supercar magnet on a global scale, and the arrival of the Pagani Raduno annual rally all but cemented us as a premier destination for motorists and car lovers the world over.
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When the first Huayra arrived in Melbourne back in early March, the car world went into meltdown, and speculation was rife about why it was here; had someone just bought it, to be put in a collection, never to be seen again? Was it here for display at the Grand Prix? The answer was soon obvious, with the erection of a new sign outside the Zagame Richmond Rolls-Royce and Aston Martin showroom: it read Pagani. Wow, Melbourne was getting its own Pagani dealership, possibly one of the most exquisite and luxurious motorcar brands ever.
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Photo: Joel Robins
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Quiet murmurs then began to emerge from knowledgeable sources about an annual Pagani Rally (or Raduno in Italian speak) being hosted in humble Melbourne. The arrival of the next Pagani, the one and only Zonda Viola from the UK, soon followed by another one, a Zonda Cinque Roadster from Dubai, confirmed the reason for their being here.
One could almost become desensitised to their presence - at time of writing, there are 9 Paganis in Melbourne (each of which detailed below), and we could easily have posted only Pagani spots for a week! Their true magic is seeing them in the flesh (or if you're lucky enough, seeing them driving and listening to their V12 engines howl) - the naked, violet carbon-fibre, or the blue titanium exhaust tips can't be appreciated from photos alone. That being said, we've done our best here to post as many photos, videos, and other facts as possible about the cars and their scenic journey across Victoria.
The Cars
Several of the Paganis are custom built one-offs (or, at the least, special commissions/limited runs), so have a read of their individual stories below.
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Huayra Tempesta SM Edition
This car is based in Singapore where it cost a reported $8.9m SGD ($8.84m AUD) thanks largely to taxes. The 'Pacchetto Tempesta' is a pack available to Huayra owners at a cost of $250k. Among other things, it improves airflow under the chassis resulting in much greater downforce and better handling. The SM Edition is a one-off named after the owner, and came with the Tempesta pack from factory. It is, by all accounts, an outstanding car. |
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Huayra Dinastia
Inspired by Beijing’s Forbidden City, and the 'Nine Dragons Wall' in particular, the Dinastia was limited to only three units. That said, this truly is one of a kind as it's the only one with purple-tinted carbon-fibre. It joined us from the UK. A clear pointer that you're looking at a Dinastia is a fin that sits on the rear deck with a dragon decal fixed proudly on both sides. The trim is the only difference from a 'regular' Huayra. |
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Zonda Fantasma Evo
A one-of-one, the Fantasma Evo joins us from Hong Kong with a neat set of plates [3E3E]. It may look like a 760, but it was actually the first Zonda F built in 2005. Involved in a large accident in 2012 in Hong Kong, the Zonda went back to Pagani, where it was reborn into the Fantasma. A few years later, it was sent back to Pagani to become the Evo version, which included adding the naked red carbon fibre all over the body and attaching a huge rear wing. The owner now keeps it in the UK. |
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Zonda 760RS/Viola
This car has quite a history, and like quite a few Paganis, has undergone a makeover or two. The Viola, another one-off, originally left the factory called the 760 RSJX. Believe it or not, it was painted in a colour resembling Tiffany blue. You'll note the interior remains this colour (not dissimilar to the Dinastia here, interestingly). The purple-tinted carbon-fibre made for a not insignificant makeover, and also came with a name change - the 760RS. This caused confusion with Pagani owners and enthusiasts, as a 760RS already existed (the very first in the 760 series) and so it was renamed once again to Viola. |
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Zonda Cinque 3 of 5
Probably one of the better known Paganis, there are five Zonda Cinque Roadsters in existence - this chassis being 3 of 5, which resides in Dubai. The Cinque has a carbon-titanium (a material invented by Pagani; essentially the carbon fibre we all know and love, with titanium interwoven between the strands for extra strength) monocoque, straight from the track-only Zonda Revolución. The Cinque Roadster also has a single-clutch automated manual transmission, which we'd imagine would feel like the a kick in the guts with each gear change. This specific car is owned by @azzurrodino - do yourself a favour and check out his collection on Instagram. |
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Zonda C12S
One of the more iconic, and certainly more 'traditional' looking Paganis is the Zonda S; this lovely example having made its way to Australia from the UK. Apparently having taken 25,000 hours in the conceptual phase alone, the C12S is one of the earlier Paganis made (early 2002, after the release of the C12 in 1999). Carbon fibre, as with all Paganis, still features prominently in the S, but also upgrades the C12's Mercedes-Benz 6L V12 to a 7L V12, and increases power from 290kW to 555hp/400kW. |
Photo: taken at Zagame by Damon Lawrence
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Zonda C12S Roadster
A latecomer to the Raduno and one of 7 RHD roadsters worldwide, this Zonda resides in Sydney and has come down to Melbourne for the Raduno. The colour is called Geneva Yellow II, one of the more radiant colours for the Zonda. It's had one owner since new and is a particularly immaculate Pagani in original condition - seemingly becoming rarer and rarer. |
Photo: NVE Media
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Huayra
So what aboutthat Huayra we mentioned at the top of the story? Whilst it was present at the final night of the Raduno at the opening of Pagani Melbourne, it did not actually participate in the rally. In fact we don't ever expect to see it driving on public roads, despite it being the first Australian-delivered Huayra. NVE Media caught Horacio Pagani himself admiring the car. Just look at that carbon-fibre weave in the front on shot! |
Photo: Dylan Rose
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Huayra Roadster
Like the coupe above, the Huayra Roadster did not participate in the rally. Unlike the coupe, however, this car won't be hanging around for long. It's the Asia-Pacific press/demo car and was flown in specifically for the opening of the dealership. You may notice that it has silver wheels on its left side, and gold on its right to demonstrate the options available to customers. |
The Raduno itself spanned just three days, covering over 500km of Victorian roads. Below, we take a brief delve into the itinerary of each day.
Pre-Raduno
PARK HYATT, EAST MELBOURNE · AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX · PORT MELBOURNE
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The cars made a few appearances before the Raduno officially begun. They were holed up in the Park Hyatt basement in East Melbourne before surfacing on the Saturday to embark on a short trip across Melbourne to Port Melbourne where they parked at the terminal for a short while. Their next appearance was on F1 race day at Albert Park Lake, where lucky Grand Prix patrons were afforded the chance to see the rare cars on the lawn.
Others were lucky enough to see them depart after the race. That Sunday evening, the owners were flown via helicopters to the Raduno starting point, the 12 Apostles along the Great Ocean Road. The cars were transported via closed trucks and were unloaded early on Monday morning. |
Photo: Tom Fraser
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Day One
26/03/2018
12 APOSTLES · GREAT OCEAN ROAD · TORQUAY
Photo: Jeremy Ingle
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A forecast of chilly winds and rain made for cautious driving as the six Paganis embarked on Pagani Raduno 'Pacific Run' 2018 along the scenic Great Ocean Road.
Over lunch, just inland from Lorne, owners had a history lesson of Australia with a traditional aboriginal song and dance. We've embedded a rare sight of the Zonda Cinque Roadster next to indigenous Australian's in traditional garb. A stopover at a self-serve car wash was absolutely essential to blast the layer of grime the cars had collected over the course of the day. Accommodation in Torquay was the final destination of day one. |
The first day as captured by Tom Fraser:
Day Two
27/03/2018
QUEENSCLIFF-SORRENTO FERRY · ARTHURS SEAT · PORT PHILLIP ESTATE · COLDSTREAM, YARRA VALLEY
The second day of the Raduno was spent travelling east, the final destination being accommodation in the Yarra Valley an hour from the city. The six cars crossed the bay on the ferry with the support cars in tow. For lunch, a stopover at Port Phillip Estate after a quick photo opportunity at Arthurs Seat.
They then took to Peninsula Link and EastLink, exiting at Ringwood to battle late afternoon suburban traffic, eventually arriving at their accommodation in Coldstream, The Farmhouse. A newly built facility connected to Meletos, an established restaurant.
They then took to Peninsula Link and EastLink, exiting at Ringwood to battle late afternoon suburban traffic, eventually arriving at their accommodation in Coldstream, The Farmhouse. A newly built facility connected to Meletos, an established restaurant.
Clip: Ylli Jonuzi
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Meanwhile, at around lunchtime, a yellow Pagani Zonda was spotted leaving the showroom on Swan Street, and then passing through Ringwood en route to the Yarra Valley. The owner's presence, and the car's absence at The Farmhouse at Meletos meant one thing - it was at Coombe, a five minute drive down the road, and the dinner destination for that night.
Indeed, it was the centrepiece of the stunning restaurant, a fitting welcome to the newest member of the pack. Unlike the other participants, this car is no stranger to Australia. The 2005 C12S Roadster has resided in NSW from new and was, until very recently, the only Pagani in Australia. |
The second day as captured by Tom Fraser:
The following is a video of the convoy picking up from Lilydale and following them to their accommodation in Coldstream.
Day Three
28/03/2018
HEALESVILLE · THE BLACK SPUR · NARBETHONG · MELETOS · PAGANI MELBOURNE GRAND OPENING
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One of Australia's better know driving roads (and also most dangerous) is the Black Spur. The stretch of twisty, undulating tarmac between Healesville and Narbethong made for a fitting last drive for the V12 hypercars.
They set off at around 9am, stopping at a service station in Healesville at the base of the Spur on the way (see video). |
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They then returned to their accommodation for lunch at Meletos. In the afternoon, they returned the way they came the day before, although instead of heading South on EastLink, they headed West to the city on the Eastern Freeway (we wish we heard those tunnel runs...) The destination was the new Pagani showroom on Swan Street where an official opening would take place that night. Horacio Pagani himself was the guest of honour.
And that wraps up the Pagani Raduno 'Pacific Run' 2018.
The third day as captured by Tom Fraser:
What's next?
Though we're unlikely to ever see Paganis in such numbers in Australia any time soon, things do appear to be rapidly changing in Australia. Rumours of amendments to import laws and the luxury car tax could mean we'll be seeing much more cars of hypercar blood in the future. Already, we hear two orders have been placed for Pagani Huayras in Melbourne, and word on the street is that Koenigsegg will be the next big thing in our city...