Autoart’s Pagani Huayra is a super supercar, but pricey like the real deal

Italy is the home of supercars, but I remember when Ferrari was pretty much the only super car that folks recognized by name. In fact, there weren’t all that many super cars out there.

Then came Lamborghini (also from Italy), then McLaren (from England) and now Pagani, another Italian firm. These boutique supercar builders create small batches of $1+ million road warriors that could be raced, but that mostly sit around in rare car collections and occasionally show up at high-profile car shows, now known as concours.

One such beautiful beast is Pagani’s Huayra, which Autoart now creates in 1:18 scale. The Huayra is named after Wayra Tata, which I’m told means “God of the Winds.” That is in Quechau, the official language of the Inca empire. I’ll have to brush up on my Quechau to confirm that.

The History

In any case, Pagani started making supercars in 1999, first launching the Zonda. The Huayra, only the second Pagani model, debuted in 2011 and went into production in 2012 under the watchful eye of designer Horacio Pagani.

Sleek doesn’t do the car’s shape justice, but wind-swept might. Huayra has automatic wind flaps, two in the nose and two in the tail, to make it more aerodynamic, or to create more downforce, as needed. With a Mercedes-AMG developed 6.0-liter V12 tucked behind the driver, downforce is a necessity.

The hand-built twin-turbo V12 creates 720 horses and 740 ft.-lbs. of torque. It’s said the Huayra will do 0-60 mph in just 3.2 seconds and packs a top speed of 231 mph. It weighs less than 3,000 lbs.

Other technical features include a seven-speed sequential gearbox with single disc clutch to save weight, plus giant 15-inch drilled carbon ceramic brakes and Brembo brake calipers.

Pagani is based in Modena, Italy, not far from Lamborghini, which is where Horacio Pagani got his supercar start. The Pagani factory employs about 50 people.

The Model:

While the real deal is hand-built, the Autoart model can say the same thing. It’s created from 672 pieces, including photo-etched plates, metal wiring, screws and nuts. For the record, 36 parts are zinc diecast, 43 are photo-etched plates, 318 are metal parts and 181 plastic, with 76 being chrome-plated.

The slippery smooth metallic silver review car got its gorgeous finish from 139 free-hand sprays and 90 mask sprays, along with 133 tampo printing hits. There’s a reason it looks so good, and costs $349.90.

For instance, there are photo-etched grilles on all air inlets, most noticeable the nose and tail and air inlets atop the rear fenders. Plus the model has metal struts and hinges too, and this complex looking suspension actually functions. I like that the springs and supports are painted a yellowish gold, just as in the original and unlike so many models, even the underbody here is finely detailed.

There are other snazzy bits too, like a carbon fiber look tail way cool circular 4 exhausts grouped together atop the tail as the roofline tapers out in back. Autoart also includes tinted windows and roof panels with a carbon fiber look dividing bar mid-roof and rear window with defroster wires.

Even with the tinted glass though there’s a clear view of part of that giant V12 Mercedes-AMG engine with its gold headers.

Collectors who enjoy opening up all the doors, hood and rear engine cover will feast on the Huayra. All these open and the gullwing doors alone are beautiful in shape and function. A little note though, you must open the doors before trying to raise the rear bonnet.

Inside is a flat black interior with carbon fiber textured dash top and silver 3-spoke wheel hub and super detailed dash and gauges with center stack screen and silver shifter and parking brake levers. Big round air vents mid dash and to either side also are unique. Let’s say they look like big protruding microphones

Autoart also delivers realistic lights, white projector beams in front with amber round units below and 6 red/white lights in back, three to a side in a triangular shape. Cool!

There’s just a bit more to justify this model’s price tag. The tiny front and rear winglets flip up. There also are separate mirrors to install atop the front fenders. They are in a plastic pack to protect them during shipping. Lastly, like Autoart’s earlier McLaren F1 model, there are small luggage compartments that open on the Pagani’s sides and include tiny pieces of luggage.

No denying this is a pricey model, but as with those issued by CMC, this moves Autoart to a new level and with the rarity of all Paganis, this is a special model worthy of its pricing.

FAST Stats: Pagani Huayra (silver)

Maker: Autoart

Scale: 1/18

Stock No.: 78266

MSRP: $349.90