At the 2026 Car Design Event in Munich — a kind of dream come true for every car design and automotive enthusiast — we got up close with the Pagani Huayra R Evo, presented to us by Alberto Piccolo, who holds the role of Advanced Design Lead at Pagani.
Pagani is a truly unique manufacturer, distinguished not only by its cars — exceptional even among the most exceptional automobiles — but also by the philosophy and mindset of its founder, Horacio Pagani, who together with his team channels his entire cultural background into these exclusive vehicles. Few others come to mind — perhaps only Christian von Koenigsegg — who, alongside their teams, manage to pour all of their passions into the cars they build.
Specifically, Pagani brings to life a philosophy rooted in the Italian Renaissance, in the thinking of Leonardo da Vinci, and in the conviction that beauty and engineering must never be separated.
Da Vinci Inspiration
The true beating heart of Pagani is its Art and Science research centre — a name that is far from accidental. As Alberto Piccolo, Advanced Design Lead, explains:
“Horacio Pagani taught us that he learned the concept of art and science from Leonardo da Vinci. Visual beauty, but also other forms of human creativity — touch, smell, sensory sensations — can work together with science.”
Credit: CDE
In this environment, engineers and designers share the same physical and intellectual space. What makes Pagani’s research centre unique is the absence of the classic chain in which a designer draws and an engineer adapts the project, inevitably sacrificing something along the way. Everything is born together, with a mutual understanding that shortens timelines, reduces errors and keeps the original vision intact.
“We combine everything in the same room. Designers already know how the parts are made and how they will be installed on the car. Engineers, in turn, know how to make technical components beautiful, making them work in harmony with the car’s style.”
Another founding principle is the rejection of the first idea. Every solution is continuously refined and questioned until the entire team is convinced it has reached the best possible result to offer the customer.
The Huayra has been to the gym
The latest evolution of the R track family is the Huayra R Evo, which takes the project initiated with the 2021 Huayra R to a further level. To understand its true nature, it is worth starting with the words of Alberto Piccolo, from Pagani’s design team:
“It’s a race car made with no compromises and with total freedom, with no boundaries. This car evolved from the road-going family, but the only components in common are the mirrors and the name. Everything else is bespoke, developed and designed from scratch. Even the chassis is completely new.”
A blank slate, then, rather than a simple derivative. The connection with the road-going Huayra is more spiritual than mechanical: the chassis, for instance, features seats fixed directly into the monocoque — a choice that underlines the car’s purely racing vocation.
On the design front, Horacio Pagani has stated that the inspiration for the Huayra R Evo’s design came during a Formula Indy race in Nashville, which gave him the idea of creating a car with protective polycarbonate surfaces and the option to remove the two roof panels, to be fully immersed in the allure of the air and the sound of the engine.
During the CDE, Alberto Piccolo elaborated on the creative process behind the formal choices, revealing how design freedom does not mean the absence of references, but rather the ability to draw from unexpected sources:
“The freedom we implemented in the design takes inspiration from some very basic aerodynamic shapes that are simple yet difficult to combine and refine. If we look at birds or fish, they have amazing shapes that we all perceive as beautiful because they are at once simple and efficient.”
The long-tail body draws from the road-going Huayra Codalunga, with a 190mm extension that produced a 45% increase in downforce and a 21% improvement in aerodynamic efficiency. But the aesthetic reading of this choice goes beyond the technical data. As Piccolo explains:
“The car shares many treatments with the original, but interpreted in a more narrow way — as if the car went to the gym and became more athletic compared to the regular one. Everything is more compact, everything is designed to channel the air more effectively.”
A signature element is the roofline crease running along the greenhouse, which guides airflow towards the rear and works in synergy with the fixed rear wing and adjustable aluminium elements — a declared homage to the Porsche tradition. The front wheels are slightly exposed at the rear of the wheel arch, further optimising aerodynamic flow. At the rear, the engine bay is completely open, offering a direct view of the mechanics, exhausts and suspension.
Up to 888bhp
On the mechanical side, the 6.0-litre HWA engine has been updated with a new intake manifold, new camshafts and a recalibrated ECU: power rises from 850 to 888bhp, with the rev ceiling climbing from 9,000 to 9,200rpm. The engine and six-speed sequential gearbox remain structural members, bolted directly to the carbon tub.
The Brembo carbon ceramic brakes have been improved with a 14% increase in braking area on the front discs and pads. The front splitter extends forward by 101mm, and a new heave damper — a third hydraulic element in the suspension — manages the increased aerodynamic loads. New Pirelli P Zero slick tyres complete the package. Claimed performance places the Huayra R Evo on a par with current LMP2 racing cars.
As Complex as It Is Accessible
One aspect Piccolo is keen to emphasise concerns the driving philosophy underlying the project. Despite the extreme performance, the Huayra R Evo is conceived to be accessible even to gentleman drivers:
“When we talk about freedom, I must say it’s a kind of responsible freedom. Our car must be friendly. Not everyone who can afford this kind of car is a professional driver — they are also gentleman drivers who want to enjoy the car without feeling scared or unsafe. We always try to find a balance between the maximum expression of performance and the ability for everyone to enjoy it without being beaten by the car.”
On the subject of customers, Pagani does not simply deliver a car. Around its track hypercars, the company has built a comprehensive experiential ecosystem — known as Arte in Pista — that brings customers to FIA Grade 1 Formula 1 circuits: Fuji, Circuit of the Americas, the Nürburgring. Track days see Huayra R Evos, Huayra Rs, Zonda Rs and Zonda Revolucions running together. Professional drivers act as coaches, dedicated mechanics look after the cars, a motorsport physiotherapist and a nutritionist attend to the driver’s physical preparation throughout the event.
“We have moved from a founder-led, family-run company to a structured, mature organisation capable of offering a complete experience — not just an automobile.”
When the days on track come to an end, Pagani also invites its customers to explore the culture of the surrounding territory: in 2024 in Valencia, for example, a cooking masterclass was organised for customers and their families.
