Pagani Zonda GR

The Pagani Zonda GR was a racing version of the Zonda built for the 2003 season. Development began in December 2002, when Tom Weickardt, Toine Hezemans and Paul Kumpen set up a company called Carsport Zonda and secured from Horacio Pagani the exclusive right to develop, build and sell competition Zondas; the first GR was completed at the Carsport facility in Modena within months. It was based on the Zonda S and kept the carbon fibre chassis, with lightweight tube frames at the front and rear, new diffusers and louvres, a width of 2 metres to meet FIA and ACO rules and a weight cut to 1,100 kg. Wikipedia rates the 7.0 litre V12 at about 600 hp in restricted form, while Ultimatecarpage says the debut car used a six litre engine. It was entered in the 2003 24 Hours of Le Mans and retired after ten laps with gearbox failure. Ultimatecarpage adds that the car was revised over the 2003 and 2004 winter, with an Xtrac gearbox, and was entered by Force One Racing for the 2004 Le Mans test.