You can’t keep a good car down and the proof of that lies in the returning Pagani Zonda. The V12 glamour model arises once again after leaving the world in 2013 to bear another custom, one-off by the name of Fantasma Evo.
But there’s more to this resurrection story than just its name. The car began as a 2005 Zonda F, the first of its kind to leave the factory with right-hand drive. In 2012, the Zonda fell victim to a high-speed accident in Hong Kong. Following the crash, which almost ruined the car beyond repair, it found its way back to Pagani.
Instead of simply nursing the F back to health, Pagani incorporated some key upgrades from the Zonda’s later years. Changes include the LED daytime running lights of the Zonda Tricolore and a Cinque-inspired roof scoop and rear wing. Additionally, there are four all-new carbon fiber canards and a carbon fiber fin.
A name says a lot about a vehicle and “Fantasma” is the operative word here. Italian for Ghost, Pagani is well aware of the symbolism — what else would you name a car that has returned from the dead?
Recently the car came in for even more modifications and the addition of the “Evo” suffix. The reborn exotic is clad in a deep maroon finish with a tricolor pinstripe honoring the Italian flag.
Despite the extensive overhaul, the Fantasma’s heart is the same 760 horsepower Mercedes-AMG 7.3-liter V12 engine. That should sound familiar as the powerplant is standard fare for the later Zonda models.
It’s worth acknowledging that this is the second Pagani Zonda F to wreck in the streets of Hong Kong. The first occurred three years prior in 2009, crashing into a row of parked cars after attempting to avoid a wayward truck.
It goes without saying that this might be the most interesting Zonda one-off of them all. While this may not be the last we hear of the model — we’ve lost track of how many “final Zondas” there’ve been — it’s certainly one of the best-looking we’ve seen yet.
