Inspired by the long-tail racing prototypes of the 1950s and 1960s, the Pagani Huayra Codalunga Speedster translates those elongated proportions into an open-top hypercar. Only ten will be made, each one a private commission by Pagani’s Grandi Complicazioni division.
The Speedster is the open-air evolution of the Huayra Codalunga coupé that received the Design Award at the 2023 Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este. Rather than a simple roof deletion, it introduces a new monocoque, revised cabin proportions and a removable roof integrated into the overall architecture. The long, low silhouette remains, but the windscreen and side windows are lower and more gently curved, creating a flatter profile and altering the relationship between cabin and bodywork. When the roof is fitted it continues the car’s main visual line towards the rear; when removed, the open cockpit places greater emphasis on the elongated proportions and the functional roll structure behind the occupants.
Heritage and Craft
Pagani’s approach has always placed mechanical components and craftsmanship on display. The Codalunga Speedster continues that philosophy with a more restrained form. Exposed carbon fibre, sculpted bodywork and the four-exhaust arrangement remain prominent, yet the surfaces are deliberately clean and elongated.
Inside, hammered and hand-stitched leather is paired with solid-milled metal components and an exclusive embroidered fabric. More than 450,000 individual hand stitches make up each embroidered section on the seats, door panels and centre console. Drawn from a technique first developed for haute couture, the pattern is based on the marque’s four-exhaust signature. Mahogany appears on the steering wheel and gear lever, completed with aluminium rivets finished by hand.
Engineering
The car is powered by a 5,980 cc 60-degree twin-turbocharged V12 developed with Mercedes-AMG. It produces 864 hp at 6,000 rpm and 1,100 Nm of torque from 2,800 rpm. Drive goes to the rear wheels through a seven-speed Pagani by Xtrac gearbox, available as either an automated manual or a fully manual configuration. It is only the second Huayra to offer a proper three-pedal manual.
The chassis uses a Carbo-Titanium HP62-G2 and Carbo-Triax HP62 monocoque with independent double-wishbone suspension at both axles. Forged aluminium components, variable-rate springs and coaxial active shock absorbers complete the setup. Braking is by Brembo carbon-ceramic discs (410 × 38 mm front, 390 × 34 mm rear) with six-piston calipers at the front and four-piston at the rear. Wheels are 20-inch front and 21-inch rear in monolithic Avional, fitted with Pirelli Trofeo R tyres (265/30 R20 and 355/25 R21).
Despite its dimensions, dry weight is 1,270 kg. Top speed is electronically limited to 350 km/h.
Production and Specification
Each car is developed individually by Pagani’s Grandi Complicazioni division. Materials, colours and finishes are chosen by the owner, so that every example carries its own distinct identity. The programme builds on the approach used for the original Codalunga (five examples) while introducing the open-top architecture and the structural changes required to support it.
A Different Kind of Hypercar
The Codalunga Speedster occupies a different visual territory from many of today’s hypercars. Its performance figures place it among the most extreme road cars, yet the design does not rely on large aerodynamic structures or aggressive surface treatment. Identity comes from the relationship between the long body, low cabin and open cockpit.
In a segment defined by ever-greater aerodynamic complexity, the Codalunga Speedster stands apart. Its drama comes from proportion, materials and construction — qualities that place it closer to the racing cars of the 1950s and 1960s than to most of its contemporaries.
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