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.
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.
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
Day One
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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.
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
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...
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