Skip to main content

Pagani’s Zonda Fantasma Evo is a ghost of Italian supercars past

The rules of the auto industry don’t really apply to makers of exotic Italian supercars. This particular car, the Pagani Zonda Fantasma Evo, is a testament to that.

If Toyota or Buick brought out a new version of a car they stopped producing years ago, people would be, at best, confused. But Pagani has no problem revisiting its Zonda, which ceased production in 2014. The car you see here was actually built in 2005, and sent back to the factory for a complete overhaul.

Recommended Videos

In 2012, this car was involved in a crash. It was returned to Pagani for a rebuild and upgrade, gaining the name “Fantasma” (Italian for “ghost”) in the process. The car then went back to the factory a second time for even more upgrades, hence the “Evo” status.

In place of the original sequential transmission, the Fantasma Evo now sports an honest-to-goodness manual, according to Motor1. Pagani also changed the bodywork, incorporating new carbon fiber pieces. Like every other Zonda, the Fantasma Evo uses a Mercedes-AMG V12 engine, in this case a 7.3-liter unit producing 760 horsepower.

The Zonda has had an incredibly long life. The original Zonda C12 model debuted at the 1999 Geneva Motor Show, and countless variants were launched before Pagani announced the end of production in 2013 with a special model called the Revolucion. The last of the five cars in that limited run was completed in 2014, and Pagani was supposed to shift focus to a new supercar, the Huayra.

But while the Huayra did go into production, Pagani never gave up on the Zonda. It’s continued to crank out one-off Zonda special editions, at least some of which are, like the Fantasma Evo, based on older cars. It’s an odd position for a carmaker to be in: normally, companies want customers to forget about their older models so they will buy new ones.

Pagani isn’t an ordinary automaker, though. It’s a very small company, with a close relationship with affluent customers that can probably afford to buy new Huayras, and continue upgrading their old Zondas indefinitely. We certainly can’t complain about the longevity of these stunning supercars.

Stephen Edelstein
Stephen is a freelance automotive journalist covering all things cars. He likes anything with four wheels, from classic cars…
Tesla and Elon Musk sued over use of AI image at Cybercab event
tesla and spacex CEO elon musk stylized image

Tesla’s recent We, Robot presentation has run into trouble, with one of the production companies behind Blade Runner 2049 suing Tesla and its CEO, Elon Musk, for alleged copyright infringement.

Tesla used the glitzy October 10 event to unveil its Cybercab and Robovan, and also to showcase the latest version of its Optimus humanoid robot.

Read more
Qualcomm wants to power your next car with the Snapdragon Cockpit and Ride Elite platforms
Qualcomm Snapdragon Cockpit Elite and Ride Elite automotive platforms

It’s been a big year for Qualcomm. Alongside its massive launch into laptop chips through the Snapdragon X Elite series, Qualcomm is now entering the automotive space. The company has announced the new Qualcomm Snapdragon Cockpit Elite and Snapdragon Ride Elite platforms at its annual Snapdragon Summit, which it flew me out to attend.

The two platforms are designed for different purposes, and can be used togetheror separately. The Snapdragon Cockpit Elite is built for in-vehicle infotainment systems and services, while the Snapdragon Ride Elite is built to power autonomous vehicle systems, including all the cameras and sensors that go into those systems.

Read more
Scout Traveler and Scout Terra forge a new path for EVs
Scout Traveler and Scout Terra.

Electric vehicles are inseparable from newness, whether it’s new tech, new designs, or new companies like Rivian, Lucid, and Tesla. But the Volkswagen Group’s new EV-only brand also relies heavily on the past.

Unveiled Thursday, the Scout Traveler electric SUV and Scout Terra electric pickup truck are modern interpretations of the classic International Harvester Scout. Manufactured from 1961 to 1980, the original Scout helped popularize the idea of the rugged, off-road-capable utility vehicle, setting the stage for modern SUVs.

Read more