Pagani celebrates 20 years of the Zonda in Geneva

Italian supercar maker Pagani celebrated the 20th anniversary of its first car, the Zonda, at this year’s Geneva motor show.

The independent manufacturer launched the iconic car in 1999 and gradually refined and improved it over the following two decades before replacing it with the Huayra in 2017.

To mark the milestone, Pagani restored the very first Zonda built back to its original configuration. Zonda C12 #001 was first shown to the world at the 1999 Geneva motor show and was used for homologation and crash tests, but thanks to the use of original parts and detailed plans of the car kept in Pagani’s archives, the company was able to transform it back to the exact specification it was when it was completed.

It’s not just a cosmetic restoration either. It is equipped with the original six-litre Mercedes-AMG V12 engine putting out 450 bhp – a somewhat pitiful number by modern standards. In fact the final Zonda produced, the HP Barchetta (pictured bottom) had a power output of 789 bhp, albeit from a 7.3-litre version of the powerplant.

Every single mechanical and electrical component on the car, as well as its Puro Silver carbon fibre exterior received an overhaul, bringing it in-line with the car’s exact look and specification from 20 years ago.

Just five original Zonda C12s were built, with it being replaced by the C12 S after just three years. Chassis #002, dubbed Zonda Nonno, was also kept by Pagani and used as a test car. It was gradually upgraded as the Zonda breed was improved over the years and is said to now have over 1.1 million kilometres (683,508.311 miles) on its clock.

Of the three that made it into customer hands, only one is thought to remain in original condition, and despite attempts by Pagani to reclaim the historically significant car, it is still with its owner today.

The Zonda has been subject to a number of variants and special editions over the years like the Zonda F, Cinque, Tricolore, and 760 Editions, so for there to now be one more original version of the car is rather special.

Check out Pagani’s official video marking the 20th anniversary of the Zonda below.