An Anniversary of Art and Engineering
To celebrate company founder Horacio Pagani's 70th birthday, the Italian hypercar manufacturer has unveiled a series of three highly exclusive cars. This isn't just a birthday cake; it's a statement of purpose. The celebration, showcased at the prestigious
Goodwood Festival of Speed, centers around the iconic Huayra model, which was officially succeeded in 2022 by the Pagani Utopia. Yet, Pagani's special projects division, Grandi Complicazioni, continues to produce unique Huayra creations for its most discerning clients. The second car in this anniversary trio is the Huayra 70 Derecho, a one-off masterpiece featuring a glorious, gated seven-speed manual transmission. It joins the first anniversary car, the 'Trionfo', and a yet-to-be-revealed third model, all celebrating the legacy of a man obsessed with automotive art.
The Glorious Return of the Gated Shifter
The centerpiece of the Huayra 70 Derecho is its transmission. In a world where even Ferrari and Lamborghini have abandoned the manual gearbox in favor of lightning-fast dual-clutch automatics, Pagani is doubling down on driver engagement. The Huayra's successor, the Utopia, was designed from the outset with a manual option after immense customer demand, and the take rate has been a staggering 75%. This proves that for those spending millions on a hypercar, the experience often outweighs raw lap times. The Huayra was the only model in Pagani's history offered exclusively with an automated transmission, a point of contention for some purists. The Huayra 70 Derecho rectifies this, pairing its 852-horsepower, AMG-sourced 6.0-litre twin-turbo V12 with a proper three-pedal, seven-speed manual gearbox. The result is a tactile, mechanical experience that transforms the character of the car, making it a celebration of analog driving in a digital age.
More Than Just Nostalgia
Pagani's decision to reintroduce the manual is not simply a nod to the past; it's a core part of its brand philosophy. Company founder Horacio Pagani has long emphasized simplicity, lightness, and the pure pleasure of driving. While an automated transmission is technically faster, the manual offers an unparalleled level of connection between driver and machine. The exposed linkage of the gated shifter in the Utopia and now the Huayra 70 Derecho is a piece of mechanical sculpture, a focal point of an interior already renowned for its watch-like craftsmanship. This move provides a genuine talking point for enthusiasts. It validates the belief that in the upper echelons of the automotive world, emotion and engagement are just as important, if not more so, than outright performance metrics. By offering a manual, Pagani is giving its clients a choice that its main rivals no longer provide, carving out a powerful niche for purists.
A Masterpiece of Design
Beyond its significant powertrain, the Huayra 70 Derecho is a visual spectacle. The car features a special Pearl Orange and Inky Blue two-tone paint job, with a semi-transparent finish that reveals the intricate 'fish-bone' weave of the carbon fiber bodywork underneath. This attention to material science and artistry is a Pagani hallmark. The interior is equally bold, trimmed in Ceramic White and Tricolore Blue leather, with the magnificent gated shifter as its centerpiece. The name 'Derecho' refers to a powerful, straight-line windstorm, a fitting moniker for a V12 hypercar that delivers such raw, unadulterated performance. Displayed at Goodwood alongside the Huayra Codalunga Speedster and the track-focused Huayra R, the Derecho stands out as a bridge between the Huayra's legacy and the brand's future commitment to analog driving.
