Pagani Huayra at 2011 Geneva Motor Show
The Pagani Huayra (Italian pronunciation: [ˈwai̯ra]) is an Italian mid-engined sports car produced by Pagani. Succeeding the company's previous offering, the Zonda, it costs €1,198,000 ($1,314,000). It is named after Wayra Tata, which means "God of the winds" in Quechua, the official language of the Inca Empire.[1][2] The Huayra was named "The Hypercar of the Year 2012" by Top Gear magazine and received a very positive review when tested by Richard Hammond on Top Gear. The Huayra is currently the fastest road car to go around the Top Gear Test Track, setting a time of 1:13.8, beating the previous record of 1:15.1 set by the Ariel Atom V8 in January 2011. It was used in the movie Transformers: Age of Extinction as the KSI prototype turned Decepticon Stinger.
Performance
The Huayra uses a twin-turbo, V12 engine developed by Mercedes-AMG specially for the Huayra. The Huayra's 6.0-litre engine, the M158, produces 730 metric horsepower (720 bhp (539 kW)) and 811 lb·ft (1,100 N·m) of torque. Its top speed is about 238 mph (383 km/h) [3] and it has a rating 0–62 miles per hour (0–100 km/h) acceleration time of 3.0 seconds. Using Pirelli tires, the Pagani Huayra is capable of withstanding 1.66 g of lateral acceleration at speeds of up to 230 mph (370 km/h).[2][4]
The Pagani Huayra uses a seven-speed sequential gearbox and a single disc clutch.[2]
The choice not to use a dual-clutch in an oil bath was due to the
increase in weight of over 70 kg (154 lb), thus negating any advantage
of the faster gear changes in a double-clutch transmission.[2] As a result, the entire transmission weighs 96 kg (212 lb).[2]
The car is equipped with Brembo brake calipers, rotors and pads. The calipers have four pistons in front and four in the rear. The rotors are drilled carbon ceramic, 380 mm (15.0 in) in diameter and 34 mm (1.3 in) thick.[5]
Engine
Mercedes-Benz's AMG division provides the engine of the Huayra which is hand-built. The 5,980 cc, twin-turbo, 60° AMG M158
V12, has been designed at the request of Pagani to reduce turbo lag and
improve response, realized with smaller turbos, a different intercooler configuration and re-programmed ECU settings.
Like many high-performance cars, the Huayra uses dry sump lubrication.
This has several key benefits including guaranteeing oil flow even when
the car is subjected to extreme lateral acceleration, preventing "oil
surge" which allows the engine to operate more efficiently while the
lack of an oil pan allows mounting the engine lower, lowering the car's center of gravity
and improving handling. The fuel consumption of the Huayra is 10 mpg
(23 l/100 km) in city and 14 mpg (17 l/100 km) in highway (EPA testing).
A water / oil heat exchanger reduces engine warm-up times on cold days and helps maintain a stable temperature for refrigerants and lubricants.
To minimize the use of pipes and fittings (and the overall weight of
the vehicle), the expansion tank is mounted directly on the engine.
Intercooler fins act as an expansion tank circuit at low temperatures.
The titanium exhaust system was designed and built by MHG-Fahrzeugtechnik.[4] Hydroformed joints were developed to reduce back pressure and ensure a free flow exhaust. Titanium reduces the weight of the exhaust system while the Inconel
silencers improve reliability in the most exposed parts of the exhaust
at high temperatures. The entire system weighs less than 10 kg (22 lb).
Aerodynamics
The Pagani Huayra is different from its predecessor in that it incorporates active aerodynamics.[2]
It is capable of changing the height of the front from the ground and
independently operating four flaps placed at the rear and front of the
car.[2] The behavior of the flaps is managed by a dedicated control unit that is fed information from systems such as the ABS and ECU, which pass on information about the car's speed, yaw rate, lateral acceleration, steering angle and throttle position.[6] This is intended to achieve minimal drag coefficient or maximum downforce depending on the situation.[2] The Huayra's designer Horacio Pagani states that it has a variable drag coefficient of between .31 to .37.[7]
The system also prevents excess body roll in the corners by raising the
"inside" flaps (i.e. the left ones in a left-handed corner and vice
versa), increasing the downforce on that side of the car. The rear flaps
also act as an airbrake. Under hard braking, both the front suspension
and the two rear flaps are raised to counteract weight transfer to the
front wheels and keep the whole car stable, for instance when entering a
corner.[6] Air from the radiator is extracted through an arch in the bonnet at an angle that is designed not to affect the streamline around the body. The side air intakes behind the front wheels create a low pressure zone, resulting in downforce.
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