2008 Pagani Zonda R Clubsport

Pagani doesn't intend the Zonda R Clubsport as a traditional, road-ready supercar. Instead, as with the Ferrari FXX, the R Clubsport is built exclusively for the track and is illegal for the road. However, Pagani is more open than its fellow Italian rival and allows private ownership -- if only for private track days as well special racing championships. The car was first introduced in 2007 and is expected to be in very limited production, even by Pagani standards, with a price tag equal to $1.2 million.

The top-spec Zonda also shares a common link with the FXX through its role as a manufacturer testbed. For Pagani, the R Clubsport is an opportunity to trial early forms of technology that should ultimately land in the Zonda's replacement, such as a new suspension system: despite its superficial appearance, the coupe only includes about 10 percent of the technology from the Zonda F. This quickly becomes apparent through a glance at the back of the car, where the taillights, massive rear wing, and extended ground effects separate the R Clubsport from any other car.

One of these components is the AMG-tuned, 6.0-liter Mercedes-Benz V12. Performance improvements, however, ramp up its power to 750 hp at a high 8000 rpm. The added power requires an F1-like exhaust system and a toughened multi-disc clutch. Just one transmission is available: a transversely mounted, six-speed sequential manual.

Equipped for racing

Understandably for a car restricted for normal roads, virtually all of the luxuries associated with normal Zondas are gone, replaced with competition-grade equipment. On the outside, the fuel filler cap and magnesium wheels are designed for quick replacement by a pit crew rather than looks. Stepping inside, drivers are greeted with a roll cage and racing seats in place of the leather interior of the road car.

Also gone is the stereo. Instead, an advanced telemetry system supplies information about the car's performance, including the individual downforce at each wheel. Pagani claims that this last feature lets drivers tune the setup of the car to maintain stability on particularly challenging racetracks or in harsh driving conditions.