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Volume 3, No. 41 October 24, 2003 |
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By Angela Hendrix When Horacio Pagani speaks, Savannah College of Art and Design students listen. After all, he is the founder of Modena Design and creator of the elite supercar Zonda. SCAD hosts Pagani beginning Oct. 23 when he will speak to students, staff, faculty, alumni and community members about his beginnings as a self-taught designer, his life and his artistic vision. The 7 p.m. lecture will be held at Trustees Theater, 216 Broughton St., and is free and open to the public. The Zonda C12 S, which retails for more than $300,000, is the second version of the Zonda and will be on display during Pagani’s visit. It is one of only two Zonda C12 S supercars in the United States. Pagani will test-drive the Zonda C12 S and the EXO Spyder, a concept car that was designed and built by SCAD students. In addition, Pagani will be present for the dedication of the college’s newest state-of-the-art facility, the Gulfstream Center for Furniture and Industrial Design, 3116 Montgomery St., Oct. 24 at 4 p.m. Students will also have the opportunity to meet with Pagani. Originally from Casilda, Argentina, Pagani had a clear vision, even as a child, to become a designer and builder of Gran Turismo cars. It was in Modena, Italy, home to some of the most fascinating cars in the world, that he realized his dream. At the age of 22, Pagani single-handedly built a Formula 2 single-seater, which regularly competed in many races. It was then that he met Juan Manuel Fangio, a five-time Formula 1 champion who thrilled millions of car enthusiasts in the 1950s. Seeing his abundant portfolio, Fangio introduced Pagani to the most important people in the auto sport industry in northern Italy, eventually leading to his work with Automobili Lamborghini, where he participated in the design of Jeep LMA, the restyling of the Jalpa, the Countach 25th Anniversary edition, the Countach QuattroValvolve series and the Diablo SE. He also assisted in the development of the composite materials department for the company and was responsible for the production of the Countach Evoluzione, the first sports car in the world to use a chassis made entirely of composite material. In 1991, Pagani, seeing the future of composite material, founded Modena Design, a company that specializes in design and engineering. He also collaborated with other high-tech companies that began incorporating composite materials into their products. In the meantime, he began to give form to his newest creation, a supercar, which he decided to name Fangio in honor of his mentor and idol. But after Fangio’s death, he changed the name to Zonda, for the strong winds of the Andes Mountains. In March 1999, the first version of Pagani’s Zonda C12, using a Mercedes six-liter 450 hp engine, was presented at the world-renowned Geneva International Auto Show. The Zonda C12 supercar has been recognized as the 2001 Car of the Year (Evo magazine, England), 2002 Performance Car of the Year (CAR magazine, South Africa) and 2002 Specialist Car Manufacturer Awards (Autocar magazine, New Zealand). In 2003, Autocar magazine called the Zonda, “The most significant supercar in a decade.” Hendrix is director of public information. |
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