My DREAM COMES TRUE! Pagani Zonda HP Barchetta FIRST DRIVE

If you were to ask any kid that was brought up in the 90s and got into cars around the turn of the millennium in the early 2000s, what is their favourite car in the entire world? There's one answer that stands out more than others. One car from a small town here in Moto Valley in Italy, one car of which the ultimate variant is right beside me, and that is of course the Pagani Zonda. This isn't just any Zonda. There are Zondas and then there are Zondas. This is the Zonda HP Barchetta, Horacio Pagani's ultimate take on the first chapter of this wonderful story, the ultimate version to celebrate his 60th birthday, arriving 18 years after the model was first introduced back in 1999. And today, somehow, the team here and Horacio Pagani himself have entrusted me to take this for a drive, a dream first opportunity behind the wheel in what must be one of the most iconic poster cars of a generation, and you're coming along for the ride. What is it then that makes this particular car quite so special? Why am I here bursting with excitement? Well, that's what today is all about, but this was literally the last iteration of a very popular car, completely open, this low slash-cut windshield that wraps around the cabin, combining elements like the roof snorkel, the wing, and the lights from different cars, in fact, so much so that this is the car that bears Horacio Pagani's initials himself. It is his personal car, part of the collection, and somehow today we're here to discover all about it. This is not something that happens very often. This is a car that I have literally been dreaming about one day experiencing. I have seen it around the world, and here we are today. The HP Barchetta was originally introduced in summer 2017 at Monterey Car Week, but the first time I saw this exact car was pride of place in the center of the Pagani stand at the 2018 Geneva Motor Show. Fast forward from then, it also made an appearance at that summer's Goodwood Festival of Speed, with Horacio even taking the wheel up the famous hill climb. I saw it again out at Monterey Car Week that summer, before the following year also catching it on yet another continent at Riyadh season in Saudi Arabia. Again after that in 2020 at the Dual Group Day at Hockenheim, when the car was making an appearance, and since then at so many different events, different venues, but today we go beyond seeing it at an event, at a motor show. Today it's about experiencing it. Hi guys, I'm Shmee, hello and welcome back to the channel, and welcome to my first drive in the truly epic Pagani Zonda HP Barchetta. It is a scorching afternoon here in Italy, and to say I was just a little bit excited would be a tiny fraction of an understatement right now, but before we can take this for a drive, we need to talk about what exactly this car is. I will add that time is marching by though, so we need to be quick to go through the HP Barchetta to go and enjoy it on the roads. We are of course here at Pagani's homeland. Behind me is the museum, the atelier, where the cars like the Utopia are now assembled, and where everything is created, where everything comes together. This is a one of three. There are only three of these in the world. This is quite literally number one of the Barchetta, and as you can see there's no roof, there's nothing to speak about. You have this low-cut front windshield, and the matching side windows to go with it. Unlike say the Zonda Roadster where you could take off the fabric soft top and stow it away beneath the front clamshell, there's nothing like that. You can only drive this if the sun is out. You would not want to get this spectacular interior filled with rainwater, but it incorporates elements from the different models. Take for example the A-pillar mirrors. They're not wing mirrors, they're not door mirrors, they are A-pillar mirrors like on the early C12s, the first Zondas. The roof snorkel, intake for the cooling, is that of the Cinque, one of the most revered versions of the Zonda full-stop. Back here is the 7.3 litre NA V12, which in this car makes 750 horsepower and sounds phenomenal. Things like the tail lights are from the Zonda LM, the styling that you have of those, of course traditional Zonda characteristics, the quad tailpipes inside the circular exhaust surround, but wait until you see what's inside, because this is perhaps one of the most special elements of this car. It's the fact that within, in the very centre, come and take a look, there's a manual shifter. This car has a six-speed manual gearbox mated to a 750 horsepower NA V12 with a clutch pedal. This is a fairly fabulous prospect right now. The paint colour, or rather the colour of the tinted lacquer, is tricolore blue to pay tribute again to the Italian roots. Blue franchise completes the additional detailing that you see around the outside. There's actually a plaque just inside here between the seats showing that this is car number one of three. You might know of a little incident that happened with one of the other twos, well that car's risen from the ashes and will return along with the third, because back when these were introduced it was actually the most expensive new production car in the entire world with a, get this, eight-figure price tag. Yes, think about that a little bit more. It is potentially the most valuable car I will ever have driven in my entire life. Maybe I shouldn't dwell on that fact too much because I don't want to be distracted by it, and it's a work of art in every possible way. It's the car that wears the initials of the company founder for a reason. It's his ultimate vision of what this platform could become, the first chapter of the Pagani story. I think we should hop in, grab the keys, start this up, and go get ready. Go get ready to drive it and bring you along for the ride, bring you along for the experience of a lifetime in the Pagani HP Barchetta. There are so many amazing details about this car. For example, the carbon fibre monocoque, and remember Pagani have always been a market leader in using carbon fibre in the vehicles, is actually made in this case from Carbo Tri-X of the later Huayra Roadster BCs, but of course for a Zonda tub. You also have these inlays which are actually spare material from Fangio's 300SL that have been used in this. Fangio having a huge part to play in Horacio Pagani's interest and works through the years. Swinging in here, take a look at this. In fact, here is our shifter. First gear, normal H pattern, third, fourth, fifth, sixth. That feels special, but you know what? We need to press the button on the top. The key is turned, the engine is ready, let's take a listen. This is, this is special. So, wow, the feeling from inside. This is what it looks like. The mirrors sitting over the top of those side pieces behind you, the roof snorkel over the top, and very much feeling open and exposed to the elements, and ready to go take this for a little drive. Here we are then, on the road, heading away from Pagani HQ in this car, and I tell you what, the sound is absolutely immense. Even at very slow speed, the noise, the intake over my shoulder, and the HP exhaust on the back of it, this is already quite something. The feeling of the wind in the hair, yes there's a windshield, but you are largely outside the car. I'm going to ease into this one, respect the car, respect the value, respect the opportunity. I cannot believe, oh wow, I cannot believe I have the opportunity today to drive this. We'll warm it up. It's been out for a few media and video drives over the years, but not many, it's safe to say, which makes this even more of a moment. Obviously conscious that the tail, the hips of a Zonda are very, very wide, especially compared to the nose. It is a bit of a wedge, but you simply don't get into a car of this value and do anything but treat it with respect. I can't believe this right now. This feels like the first time driving a Zonda, this feels like the first time when I drove Dynamize Cinque. Wow, this is something right now just to get used to, ease into, take it one bit at a time. That's 3,500 RPM, that's nothing. Revs up to 7,000 or so. This is absolutely heavenly, even driving gently like this. This is a beautiful, beautiful moment, sun shining in Italy in the HP Barchetta. Tell you what, it's very hard to work out where the car is behind me. Just have to go with the flow, roll with it. The sound is insane. That is a V12 in its proper, pure form. These are the roads where I experienced my first ever ride in a Pagani Zonda, a good 11, 12 years ago, I would guess. Now I'm here in the ultimate car. It feels a bit older, it feels a bit edgier if you compare it to Utopia or Huayra. Of course it is, but that makes it roarer, that makes it even more alive. The weight of the steering, absolutely absurd. This is ridiculous. How is this real life right now? That is a sound. This, behind you. Wow, wow, wow, wow. I'm a little bit lost for words. I can't get enough of this. It makes the most incredible noises. Come up over the bridge and that lift-off bang. Pure, raw sound. Just unbelievable. This is one of the... Just everything that's happening all around you. And then you realise when you come to a near stop how loud it is and silence kind of returns. But then you say, hey, let's get back on the throttle. I almost want to cry from enjoyment. I can't believe this thing. What on earth? I hope the microphone can pick up the sounds as I hear it. Noises that come from behind my head are absolutely outstanding. This is serious. This is... I don't ever want to stop. I just want to let it keep going. Why are we going to have to go back? Can't this just keep going forever? This is one of the greatest things I have ever driven in my entire life. And here we are. Progressively for sure. It wants you to drive it. I cannot believe that we have just been for a loop in this car. I am utterly speechless at what I've just experienced. Utterly, utterly speechless as we arrive back at Pagani. There are very few words to describe how unbelievable that has been. We have a lift system here as we pull up to the gate of the museum. Oh my word. Okay, I've cheated. We're going for another loop because things like this do not come along very often. And simply put, this is one of the greatest driving experiences of my entire life. Right at this moment, I struggle to come up with anything better. I couldn't tell you of something that has been more special than driving the HP Barchetta in the afternoon Italian sunshine. Wow. This is simply dreamland. This is extraordinary. This is the ultimate bliss. This is the ultimate perfection. This is the ultimate petrolhead's dream. This car of all the cars. Oh my goodness. It's unbelievable. It's just absolutely breathtaking. Ways that you have to look at this car. It's like a Le Mans prototype. It feels so raw. Downshift from third to second is just one of the best feelings ever. Let it sing to drop it down. This is out of this world. Feels so alive. And because you're so open, the experience is there in droves, even at fairly sensible speeds. Just using second and third gear. Of course, there's a ton of power. I'm not using a fraction of the power that's available because it's simply too fast. And you don't need it. The smiles per mile factor of this. It is off the chart as it's warmed up, as the engine is warm, the gearbox is warm. The exhaust is warm. It's become even more alive. It needed that heat in it. It needed that temperature to get it up to proper running readiness. And as we now arrive back, this is going to be calling it a day. For one of the best days of all time. This is a day I shall never, ever forget. As we pop the lift system up and pull around to the museum entrance. Arriving here in the Barchetta, in this car. In the gates we go. Lift system back down. There are very few experiences that match to this. My word. And I tell you what, rear visibility in here. Yeah, that's a struggle. I guess I could just turn my head around, right? But there's a gap in the fence somewhere behind me. Maybe I can line it up. Maybe I can't. I don't know. I'll get close and see what happens. And there we go. I have so few words in mind to describe what I've just driven. This has been, without a shadow of a doubt, one of the most amazing moments of my life. This isn't just a car. This is a legend. This is an icon. This is the 250 GTO of today in some ways. Okay, not the motorsport necessarily, but in terms of how iconic it is. In terms of what it represents, right? It's the absolute best from a man who has changed this industry. From a man who has directed the last decade or two of these cars. This itself might only be seven years old. It's basically a new car, relatively speaking. But it's what it represents and what it means. This has been really special. There are moments that stand out in my experiences to date. F50 in the snow, CLK GTR in Bahrain, Paul Walker's XR34. But driving Horacio's own HP Barchetta is something I can't say thank you enough for. Because this has been one of the highlights of my automotive career. And reflecting on this is going to be something that I think about for a long time. I'm almost like in tears of joy. Wow, the sound, the feeling. Just, yeah, this was something. This was something. It's really interesting to be in this car because, of course, it's been to a lot of events. It's been really well documented. It's quite well known as a car, but it's when you start looking at everything so much more closely and taking in all of these elements. The badging over there, HP Barchetta, one of three. Of course, the latches and buckles for even the glove box. The detailing of the speaker, all of the carbon fibre that's around. This mix of lightweight materials from which it's made, of course, saving a lot of weight by not having a roof, combined with the heritage style of the steering wheel that you have here. The style of the instrument cluster right in front of you. Just look at this. Every element of it is so well made and designed. You've got some storage cubbies here and the same, of course, over on the other side. You've got the way the central tunnel is super simple. It's just the handbrake again with wood and the same for the shifter right in front. It's just so nice. There's a storage cubby here as well. You've got those pouches on either side beneath the roll hoops, which house the speakers. Of course, the snorkel right behind, which makes the most amazing noise. The sound from that. This is really it's a car unlike any other. That's basically the view you have kind of there in the mirror. So you can't tell where the edge of this car is, where the width of it is. Although the view that you do have back under the wing there looks pretty spectacular, doesn't it? And of course, the old school key, a physical key, a proper key, key to happiness quite literally right here. And that's in and on. Life can't really be any better, to be honest. This has been window drops a touch. Oh, look, it goes just under the mirror design. They're very interesting the way that's made. This has just been like unbelievable. We should hop out and open up the rear clam and show you a bit more of that. And the glorious V12 that lives behind down here, then these latches simply unbuckle. Of course, this has been opened at so many events and shows and things. Press on there that releases and go around to the other side to do the same. And then we'll get a wonderful view of the engine bay. The power plant has caused some very, very big smiles today. In fact, let me just open this side up, hit the button again and then open this. And I love how it leads to snorkel in place. Look at that. AMG derived 7.3 litre NA V12 beneath the intake. The way this is all designed, actually, obviously, the cooling comes through the snorkel through the intakes past the throttle bodies and in and not just that. I mean, the exhaust back there is a masterpiece itself. The suspension, the structure, the chassis look down towards the headers. You can see the white ceramic coating of everything inside. It is totally beautiful, completely and utterly like beyond, beyond beautiful. What a thing. What a place. What a car. What an experience. What a day. What like, what is this? With that side latched down. Same again over here. That clicks. One click on the Zonders. Then that goes in. That goes in and you have the car untransformed back to its full glory. And glory is the best way to describe it. I, I don't really know what else to say, to be honest. I am bamboozled by what I've just lived through. The experience I've just had in this car. This is, this is so far ahead of other experiences. Like it's, I, yeah, I'm stumped. I'm so stumped. I'm going to leave it there and just extend a huge thanks to Horacio, to Chris, to the whole team here, to Seb, to everyone who made it possible to set today up. I couldn't think of a better way to spend an afternoon, honestly. So that's it for now. Thank you very much for watching, guys. Thank you for your support. Without you, this wouldn't be possible. That's it for this time though. And I'll see you again very soon. Cheers.