THE CURATED ONES: Volume 4

JULIA ROTHHAAS

Mr. Pagani, as a child you dreamt of building fast cars one day. Others have the same dream, but only a few actually make it. Looking back, was it a matter of luck or thanks to exceptional talent?

HORACIO PAGANI
More than relying on natural talent, I applied myself. To achieve something, you need persistence, especially in difficult moments.

JULIA ROTHHAAS

You have succeeded, your dream has come true: Pagani is one of the world’s most successful supercar manufacturers, with customers willing to pay millions for your cars. Was there ever a point in your career when you had doubts about your vision?

HORACIO PAGANI
When I was 14 years old, I stood in front of my parents and told them that one day I would move to Modena’s Motor Valley to make sports cars. I designed my first models out of balsa wood, built a mini-bike, vans and trailers, as well as a complete Formula 2 car. I always believed in my idea. Which is quite astounding, because I come from a small town in Argentina, Casilda, and my parents were not wealthy, they had to work hard to provide for our family. My father was a baker and he taught me the meaning of discipline and respect. But it was my mother who, despite all the hard work, also had an artis-tic side. She played the piano beautifully and she painted. These two worlds shaped me from an early age.

JULIA ROTHHAAS

When you were 27, you took the plunge and moved to Modena with your wife Cristina. Shortly before you were due to leave, however, the position you had been promised at Lamborghini was canceled. But that didn’t stop you from approaching Giulio Alfieri, head engineer at the time, and telling him, «I could be cleaning the floor here, but I came to build the most beautiful car in the world, and nothing is going to stop me.» How did you muster such self-confidence?

HORACIO PAGANI
In my defense, I was still quite young. Today I would never say something like that because it could come across as quite arrogant and conceited. But back then I was convinced that I had to do something in this hopeless situation. After all, I had been waiting for this moment for a long time. And so I gathered all my courage. My self-confidence grew out of the respect that you have to have for your own dreams to be able to realize them in spite of everything.

JULIA ROTHHAAS

Did you manage to convince Alfieri?

HORACIO PAGANI
Lamborghini was in a tough spot at the time, having gone through a number of crises. That was also the reason why all new projects were canceled – including the one I had originally been assigned to. After the job fell through, we moved to an area near Milan and initially lived on a campground because it was cheaper than a hotel. In the meantime, I worked in a garden center and as a welder. That was something I taught myself, I’m quite good with my hands. Four months later, I was back at Lamborghini. And I got a job at the lowest level in the experimental body shop unit.

JULIA ROTHHAAS

Your persistence paid off: a short time later, you were promoted at Lamborghini and became one of the three lead designers of the Countach.

HORACIO PAGANI
At first, I was responsible for developing initial ideas for the redesign of the original 1971 Countach. Later, I was part of the team for the Countach Evoluzione, the first car in its class to have a chassis made of composite materials – one of a kind! Since the Countach had already been around for quite a few years – by 1987, it was already 16 years old – and Lamborghini’s 25th anniversary was approaching, I was asked to contribute to the Countach Anniversary. The plan was to produce 170 units, but in the end, 670 were sold. This success, in turn, allowed us to work on the Diablo, the fastest production car in the world at the time.

JULIA ROTHHAAS

What lessons from your time at Lamborghini did you apply to your own company?

HORACIO PAGANI
What it is like to work for a company that places tremendous emphasis on craftsmanship and maintains close contact with its customers. It was a great experience and I am truly grateful to Lamborghini for the opportunities they offered me. But it wasn’t easy there either, because they didn’t have much faith in me as a designer. Even with my ideas for carbon and composite materials, previously only used in aircraft construction, Lamborghini couldn’t get on board for a long time. My colleagues there were all somewhat older and simply didn’t want to let go of their ideas about how to build a car.

Photography: Alecio Ferrari

JULIA ROTHHAAS

It was two worlds colliding.

HORACIO PAGANI
If everything had always been easy, I probably would have never made any progress. I’m not a muscleman; all my strength resides in my head. If you ask me who I am grateful to today, my answer would be, of course, my wife and my parents. But I also have to acknowledge those who repeatedly put obstacles in my way. After all, they ultimately reinforced my belief in myself.

JULIA ROTHHAAS

You were one of the first to embrace carbon and composite materials in sports cars. How could you be so sure that this was the future?

HORACIO PAGANI
I began working with fiberglass-reinforced plastic – commonly used in boat building, for example – back in Argentina when I was 15. That’s how I knew you could shape it into highly sculptural shapes. When I joined Lamborghini, the tubular frames of the cars were still handcrafted from aluminum. A painstaking process, while at the same time, the company sought to boost production from one car to three or four a day. So I began to ask myself how this could be achieved and which technologies might help us. I carried out a lot of experiments, and I applied these materials to an entire body for the first time. After a year at Lamborghini, I opted to continue as a freelancer – I had invested in an autoclave, allowing me to manufacture carbon-fiber car parts on my own. I dedicated days and nights to research to find out what could be achieved with it.

JULIA ROTHHAAS

Days and nights? That sounds intense.

HORACIO PAGANI
Throughout my life, I have worked long and hard, and nothing has changed in that regard. But it paid off. Just a few weeks ago, a delegation from Ferrari, with whom we share a strong relationship, visited us. They wanted to find out more about Pagani’s bodies and materials. I’m very pleased about that, because it shows how my work has value beyond my own company.

JULIA ROTHHAAS

To this day, you are constantly working on perfecting materials, including aluminum and titanium. Many other car manufacturers hardly even dare to go on such an uncompromising quest. What drives you to keep at it?

HORACIO PAGANI
With 800 different components, every part of a Utopia is manufactured in-house – except for the V12 engine, traditionally supplied by Mercedes AMG. But our work always extends beyond individual projects. It’s always about ongoing development, not only in materials, but also in terms of the manu-facturing processes necessary to bring them to life.

JULIA ROTHHAAS

Does this constant pursuit of perfection ever take a toll on you?

HORACIO PAGANI
There have been times when I’ve wept because things didn’t go as planned. It is truly painful, even physically. You could compare this tension to a sports competition. Some nights, after a long day, I come home feeling like I’ve just finished a marathon. And it’s not just me – many of my employees feel the same way.

JULIA ROTHHAAS

In 1993, Dieter Zetsche, still Deputy Member of the Board of Mercedes-Benz’s development department at the time, saw the prototype of your Zonda and said to you, «This car is timeless.» Did you take that as a compliment straight away? In the supercar category, one tends to focus on performance, power and output.

HORACIO PAGANI
Zetsche had worked in Argentina for a long time, so we were able to communicate well and clicked straight away. So I found his assessment helpful, even if he said it more as a joke. Even-tually, I answered with a wink, «It’s only fortunate that it’s a timeless car. After all, I don’t have any money and need the time to finish it first.»

JULIA ROTHHAAS

Was it your intention, in the first place, to design a timeless model?

HORACIO PAGANI
The jacket I’m wearing today will be out of fashion in a few months, but a car like a Pagani should last forever. That should always be the goal of a designer: to create something original, genuine, with its own identity. I designed the Zonda in the hall back there in 1991. Looking at it, you probably wouldn’t believe that 34 years have passed since then. Between our models there is always a certain break. From the Zonda to the Huayra to the Utopia, they are completely different cars, even though they all carry our DNA. What they all have in common is that when you see one on the road, you immediately know it’s a Pagani.

Photography: Alecio Ferrari

JULIA ROTHHAAS

You manage to combine top-tier craftsmanship with cutting-edge technology. How do you strike a balance between these two worlds?

HORACIO PAGANI
The idea of intertwining art and science is well over 500 years old, dating back to Leonardo da Vinci, whom I greatly admire. I discovered his world for myself as a child. As I mentioned earlier, I had a great interest in science from an early age, but at the same time I felt drawn to everything artistic, to painting, sculpture and music. I have always tried to merge these worlds and share this passion with my team. Whether it’s an elec-tronics technician, engineer or designer, all of our trades collaborate closely and complement each other. That’s what I call teamwork. Of course, a car at this price point has to be state of the art in terms of engine, materials and aerodynamics. Anything less would be disrespectful to the customer. But beyond all the technical requirements, beyond everything, there is always the search for timeless beauty.

JULIA ROTHHAAS

Do you find inspiration in nature just like Leonardo da Vinci?

HORACIO PAGANI
Absolutely. I go out into nature every day before work. At the same time, I try to notice every little detail around me, not just in nature. I’m often in Milan on the weekends, where I immerse myself in Leonardo da Vinci’s works in my studio. And following Leonardo’s example – he lived in Milan for over twenty years – I’ve made a habit of strolling through the city and taking in the richness of human-made art as well.

JULIA ROTHHAAS

You have around 250 employees, there are long waiting lists for your cars, and there are only 99 examples of the Utopia, for instance. Is this focus on exclusivity a conscious strategic decision?

HORACIO PAGANI
I am convinced you should always produce a little less of what is in demand. After all, if a series is limited, that makes customers happy too. At the same time, we have around twenty authorized dealers worldwide that we also have to attend to. As a result, our waiting lists are always exactly as long as the number of orders.

JULIA ROTHHAAS

Have you cultivated this exclusivity from the outset or is it simply the logical consequence of your high standards?

HORACIO PAGANI
This is how we have been doing it since Pagani was founded 27 years ago. Since the beginning, we have only built 500 Pagani. But this is also because a lot of work and time go into such a car. The number of employees can’t be doubled at will, be--
cause training takes a long time and all our cars are made by hand in countless steps. It’s comparable to crafting exclusive watches. In other words, we can only ever ramp up our production slowly. We only do this when we open up a new market, such as Australia recently. After all, we have an obligation to supply cars to dealers there.

JULIA ROTHHAAS

Speaking of personalization, have you ever been driven to despair by a customer request?

HORACIO PAGANI
Some of our customers’ wishes are indeed quite extravagant, but if someone desires their very own Pagani, the price could reach as high as twelve million euros. So I believe it is essential to help our clients achieve what is possible. But of course there are limits. We can’t implement anything that isn’t approved. After all, our cars are driven all over the world, there are no exceptions to this rule. In the USA, for example, we have to comply with California regulations in terms of emissions, the strictest standards in the country. But to date, all our cus-tomers have been satisfied.

JULIA ROTHHAAS

How long does it usually take for a new Pagani model to be launched?

HORACIO PAGANI
It takes about seven years.

JULIA ROTHHAAS

Who gets to be the first to drive the prototype after these seven years? Is that a privilege you claim for yourself?

HORACIO PAGANI
I have to think about that. I believe I was the first person to drive the Zonda. In the case of the Huayra, I don’t remember. But of course I always know when the time comes.

Photography: Alecio Ferrari

JULIA ROTHHAAS

Last year, Pagani celebrated its 26th anniversary. Could you tell us what you are currently working on?

HORACIO PAGANI
We are looking at projects for the next ten years, including further development of the Utopia, but also the following model. In addition to the automotive division, we are also continuing to expand Pagani Arte, our interior design department, and we are working on the development of new materials. The world is changing rapidly at the moment, which is both exciting and challenging. Like all other car manufacturers, we will also have to deal with these changes.

JULIA ROTHHAAS

This year, Ferrari is bringing a fully electric sports car to market. Could Pagani do the same, or would that contradict your philosophy?

HORACIO PAGANI
Seven years ago, we formed a team working on electrification with great commitment and enthusiasm. However, when it was time to make the necessary major investments to start production, we realized that our customers weren’t interested in an electric Pagani. Ultimately, we had to scrap the whole plan, as we can’t follow through with a project that isn’t going to sell.

JULIA ROTHHAAS

What do you think is the reason for the lack of interest? Could it be the absence of engine sound?

HORACIO PAGANI
I can’t speak for other manufacturers, but our customers want the car just as it is. There are already beautiful electric cars that drive well, are fast, and have plenty of power – like the Rimac, Pininfarina, and Lotus. I’m sure Ferrari, with its much larger customer base, will also produce a very good electric car and will have no trouble selling it because of the strong brand behind it. I’m curious to see if this will lead to a broader shift in interest in the future.

JULIA ROTHHAAS

Do you think a fully electric supercar could have what it takes to become a collector’s item?

HORACIO PAGANI
It’s hard to say, but I’ll elaborate: In early December, a Zonda LM Roadster was sold at a Sotheby’s auction in Dubai. It likely cost around two million euros back in 2014, but at the auction, it fetched eleven million US dollars. So, the price has more than quintupled. We’re seeing the same with models from other manufacturers that are commanding extremely high prices. This makes me wonder whether a battery-powered car can hold its value, even emotionally, in ten or twenty years – so much so that a customer would come to us and say, I want that car for my collection.

JULIA ROTHHAAS

You’re a collector yourself, with several Porsches in your collection, along with a Ford GT. What is it that excites you about this distinctly American design?

HORACIO PAGANI
Though beauty is always in the eye of the beholder, I would argue that the Ford GT is one of the most beautiful cars of the past twenty years. But I don’t find the design to be particularly American; rather, it’s timeless and unique. That’s why I bought one.

JULIA ROTHHAAS

If you could pick any other manufacturer’s vehicle, which one would you choose?

HORACIO PAGANI
When I buy something, the most important thing is that I like it – the engine itself isn’t a major factor for me. In August, I made a childhood dream come true and bought a Porsche 917, the long-tail version. It was my way of rewarding myself for all the years of hard work. When I saw the car in front of me, I realized I had reached a major milestone. Now, it’s time for the next one.

JULIA ROTHHAAS

If you were to look at yourself from the outside, how much of you today is an entrepreneur, a salesman, and a designer?

HORACIO PAGANI
I honestly can’t say for sure – all of these roles are part of my life and equally important to me.

JULIA ROTHHAAS

Pagani is a family-run business. What roles do your sons play in the company?

HORACIO PAGANI
Christopher handles communication, marketing, and events, while Leonardo oversees all three production facilities and day-to-day operations. He’s also in charge of all projects at Pagani Arte.

JULIA ROTHHAAS

Bringing the next generation into one’s own company doesn’t always go smoothly. What is the secret to your success?

HORACIO PAGANI
To begin with, one of our rules is that we don’t use the word “success.” We’ll only do that when the company celebrates its 100th anniversary – in 75 years. Here, everyone follows their own path and has their own area of responsibility; only strategic decisions are made together. I believe that’s very helpful. But the Pagani family extends far beyond my own – we are a big family here, with people who have been working with us for 20 or even 25 years.

JULIA ROTHHAAS

One surprising detail about your life: You ride your bicycle to work every day. But surely, you have plenty of cars at your disposal?

HORACIO PAGANI
I absolutely love cycling! I bike to work every day, except when it’s pouring rain. It brings me so much joy. In my opinion, it’s the most intelligent means of transport ever created. For me, the bicycle is number one, followed by the car.

JULIA ROTHHAAS

Where does this passion come from?

HORACIO PAGANI
When I was eleven, my biggest wish was to have my own bike. All my friends had one, but I didn’t. Since my parents didn’t have a lot of money, I had to fund it myself, so I took on a few jobs. From that moment on, my love for cycling never faded and is tied to deep emotions and memories. When I moved to Italy as a young man, it was the first thing I bought here. I remember it clearly, it was white.

JULIA ROTHHAAS

You’re also passionate about music. During the pre-sentation of the Utopia at Milan’s Teatro Lirico in September 2022, you played the piano, accompanied by an orchestra. How do you find the time to practice?

HORACIO PAGANI
I’m not a great pianist. I never had formal lessons and taught myself instead. Even though I composed the piece we performed at the presentation when I was younger, I can’t read sheet music. What I mean is this: it’s more important to make time for what truly matters to you than to be perfect at something. You shouldn’t waste time on trivial things or get sidetracked by things that aren’t essential. For instance, I walk seven kilometers every day with my Nordic walking poles, read a lot, focus on my studies, and spend time at the piano. But above all, the people who mean the most to me come first: my family and my friends.

JULIA ROTHHAAS

Finally, if a 27-year-old were to approach you today and say with conviction, “My dream is to build the most beautiful car in the world,” what would be your advice?

HORACIO PAGANI
Before you can build the most beautiful car in the world, you first need to roll up your sleeves, get to work, hit a wall, pick yourself up, keep going, hit the wall again, and still keep going. You have to believe in yourself and follow your passion, your dreams. Success isn’t about talent – it’s only about ten percent of the equation. The rest is hard work, sweat, and discipline.