Like two Ps in a pod – Pirelli and Pagani have become all but inseparable over the past decade. It’s thus no surprise to see the two firms pair up again on the new Huayra Roadster BC. This time Pirelli’s whipped up something extra special, developing a version of its most performance-focused road tyre specifically for the Pagani. The car wears the P Zero Trofeo R in sizes 265/30 R20 (front) and 355/25 R21 (rear).
For the first time, Pirelli and Pagani commenced the tyre development process with modelling and predictive simulation. This virtual pre-development process builds a computer model to accurately replicate the car’s dynamic characteristics without needing to actually make real tyres for it. Pirelli says modelling and predictive simulation result in reduced lead times and an end product that is even more closely matched to the car it’s intended for.
The heart of the new Pagani is a twin-turbo V12 six-litre engine. This puts out 800 hp and 1050 Nm of torque and can propel the car beyond 300 km/h. It also enables more than 1.9g through corners, with peak lateral loads of 2.2g. All this performance is translated via the contact patches of the four P Zero Trofeo R tyres.
New front tyre size
Engineers from Pirelli and Pagani enlarged the front tyres’ contact patch. The new front tyre size has wider channels, a bigger cord and larger rims. Moving to a new tyre size delivers several benefits. Pirelli says it gives the tyre greater strength to support extra aerodynamic downforce loads. Driving dynamics are also improved thanks to a stiffer tyre structure that permits less sliding. The result is a sharper turn-in with a more linear driving experience and less tendency towards understeer. Another advantage of the increased tyre size is better braking: The latest Pagani now manages to pull 2.2g under braking.
Work done on the new P Zero Trofeo R front meant the rear tyre also had to be revised to maintain the right balance between the two axles. Pirelli’s engineers modified the tread pattern design. They laid it out differently, increasing the size of both the blocks and the longitudinal grooves. This resulted in better traction under acceleration: Pirelli speaks of a seven per cent like-for-like improvement.
“We’re proud to celebrate more than ten years of mutual respect and partnership with Pirelli, in a shared mission for constant improvement,” says Horacio Pagani, founder and chief designer of Pagani Automobili. “One of the objectives that we set ourselves for the new P Zero Trofeo R was definitely for it to provide a good feel through the steering wheel; as if your hands were gripping the road. The know-how and ability of Pirelli’s engineers have made this a really communicative tyre, which lets you know exactly when you are approaching the limit of adhesion.”
Marco Tronchetti Provera, Pirelli’s chief executive officer and vice chairman, adds: “Horacio Pagani always sets us some great challenges. Every time we work together, we find ourselves facing exciting new limits to overcome. This is an amazing inspiration, which allows us to carry out research and development with an extraordinary partner. Pirelli has innovation and the constant desire to improve at the very heart of its DNA, which is why we consistently look for technological excellence in each product. Every project with Pagani always brings us something new.”
-
- The new Pagani comes with a twin-turbo V12 six-litre engine that puts out 800 hp and can propel the car beyond 300 km/h
-
- A new front tyre size was developed for the Huayra Roadster BC
-
- Work done on the new P Zero Trofeo R front meant the rear tyre also had to be revised to maintain the right balance between the two axles
