Features

Big, but by no means out of shape, as titanium rods help it spin to 7,000rpm. New in the F is an emphasis on the induction and exhaust systems. They're lovingly sculpted to present an even lower resistance to the hurricane of gas flow, and at the same time cut mass. That's why the test car has the optional full titanium (blimey) silencers.

For the same mass-defeating reasons, there are now carbon-ceramic brakes, and the carbon tub is made from a fiendishly expensive three-way weave to pare grams without losing its immense strength.

Then the chassis has had a subtle but complete rework of its geometry so it can run these giant tyres without coming over all unstable, and the wishbones get a measure of magnesium to lighten them. And new dampers have allowed extra freedom in the set-up.

The overall result slices in at under 1,300kg. Lighter than, say, a Porsche Cayman, even though the drivetrain is twice as muscular.

And it's not like the Pagani denies you the amenities. It has aircon, a fine stereo, navigation. But just lightweight ones.

And it doesn't deny you the excesses either. In any other car, the idea of scarlet quilted-leather floor mats in place of carpet would seem an absurd vulgarity, but the Zonda carries it off because of its overall commitment to material richness, and because the quality and craftsmanship inside and out is plain breathtaking.

While we're inside, check out the redesigned instruments, more jewel-like than before though still comically tiny. The speedo reads to 250mph so the little needle barely creeps into action before you're breaking any speed limit in the land.

Yet there's an oddly fragile - or at least dainty - look to it all, because the cabin's structures are bared: the seats are shells, the instruments a glazed pod, the aircon trunking visible carbon-fibre, the glovebox a separate leather case hung below the bone-like, cross-car beam.

In blood red, carbon-black and polished aluminium, the test car's interior is almost overwhelming, scary and spectacular like a horror-movie zombie stripped of its skin, all viscera exposed.