Horacio Pagani, what memories do you have of your early years in Casilda and when did you realize that the automobile would be your path?
I grew up in a small farming town in Argentina, in a simple family: my father was a baker, my mother had a keen eye for music, painting, and sculpture. From them I learned some things that have never left me: dedication to work, a curiosity for scientific subjects, and a certain propensity for anything related to art and creativity. If anyone asked me what I wanted to do when I grew up, I'd say mechanical engineering or fine arts. An enlightening encounter occurred when, as a teenager, I discovered Leonardo da Vinci and was immediately fascinated by his ability to combine art and science.
How and when did your attraction to the world of automobiles begin?
«I've certainly been observing with attention and admiration since I was a boy, especially the European cars that circulated in Argentina. At that time, a magazine was published, it was called Automundo, thanks to which it was an immense joy for me to discover car racing, the drivers, the shows, the work of the coachbuilders. So, I spent hours in my little "taller" (workshop in Spanish) behind the house, where I built models using balsa wood, wire, tin, and even rudimentary resins. I wasn't interested in them just being beautiful: they had to work, be well-proportioned. I understood very early on that form and function were not separate worlds, but two languages that must always communicate.
In this vision one can feel the full force of Leonardo's teaching...
Leonardo da Vinci has always been much more than a historical reference for me: he was and is an ideal guide, an invisible master who accompanies me every day in my work. In him I found the perfect example of how art, science, and engineering can merge into a single, extraordinary vision. His ability to observe nature, understand its secrets, and translate them into beauty and innovation is what I have tried to bring into my work with Pagani AutomobiliEvery car is born from the desire to combine cutting-edge technological research with timeless aesthetics, just like Leonardo's works. His teachings showed me that limits are merely a starting point and that true excellence comes from the harmony of intuition, study, and passion.
How did your journey to Italy and the world of supercars begin?
The idea of Italy was a dream long before it became a plan. I dreamed of Modena, its workshops, its legendary names: Ferrari, Maserati, Lamborghini. Meanwhile, I studied engineering and built an F2 single-seater for the Argentine championship, taking care of every detail. When, years later, I came to Italy with my wife, a tent, and two bicycles, I didn't know if I'd make it. But I knew that if I wanted to grow, I had to be where the dream of cars came true.
What obstacles did you encounter and how did you overcome them?
The obstacles were many, and often greater than my resources. Starting out in Italy was difficult: despite Fangio's letters of recommendation, no one would hire me. I took on a wide variety of jobs just to stay close to that world. Then Lamborghini opened a door for me. I started as a third-level worker, but every day I pushed myself to learn: I was the first to arrive and the last to leave.
The hardest moment was when I proposed purchasing an autoclave to produce composites on a large scale. The answer was no. So I took out a bank loan, bought it, and rented a warehouse near the company. It was a huge risk, but it changed my future forever. Obstacles force you to invent, to look beyond. Without them, I would never have truly found my path.
Over time, your cars have become a global icon. What is the origin of this international success?
We don't produce cars to satisfy our egos, but the customer's. Ultimately, the customer is our employer. It's important to stay true to ourselves. From the beginning, I've tried to combine technology with elements such as beauty, proportion, and harmony, along with science, advanced materials, and aerodynamics.
First the Zonda, then the Huayra, and now the Utopia are the fruit of this identity. Every detail, even the smallest, is conceived as an independent work, with a logic, a soul, a story. And perhaps this is precisely what excites so many people around the world: the feeling that the car is not an object, but a dialogue between creativity and engineering.
What distinguishes a Pagani from any other supercar?
There are two aspects: vision and the human touch. Technology isn't enough; you need a soul. Our cars are all born as unique pieces: there's not a single component that hasn't been conceived, rethought, built, and rebuilt to be not only efficient, but also beautiful. Carbon, which many consider merely a technical material, for us is also an aesthetic material. Our "herringbone" pattern has become a symbol: it's proof that functionality can be poetry. And then there's the craftsmanship. Every car is built by people with a name, a story, and a sense of pride. You can't replicate this with a machine or an algorithm.
What's the development process for a new car? Where does an idea come from?
Everything begins with a thought, often a mental image or a sensation. I can see the curve of an object, a natural shape, or I can start from an aerodynamic concept. Then a long journey begins: sketches, modeling, study of proportions, a continuous dialogue between form and function. The Art and Science Center was created precisely for this: a place where designers, engineers, technicians, and artisans can work together, fuse together, and exchange ideas. The Zonda, the Huayra, and Utopia are the offspring of this method. Each project takes years, because nothing is left to chance. A car, before being a machine, must be a living idea.
Technological innovation, composite materials, carbon fiber: how much have they influenced your career path?
"These were crucial factors. When I was working on the Countach Evoluzione in the 1980s, I realized that carbon fiber would revolutionize supercars. It was a nearly unexplored material in that context, but it offered enormous freedom: lightness, rigidity, and sculptural possibilities. Since then, research into composites has become almost a mission. Today, Pagani carbon fiber is recognized as one of the most advanced in the world, used not only in hypercars but also in sectors such as medicine, aerospace, and the military. However, I always like to remember that technology is never an end in itself: it is a means to give form to an emotion."
Pagani is now a global brand that goes beyond the automobile: design, research, and cultural projects. How did it get there?
It all stems from the idea that a car, if it's made like a sculpture, like an art object, naturally generates a world around itself. Modena Design, our collections, cultural projects, and the Art and Science Center are the continuation of that original philosophy. Our brand identity isn't built on marketing, but on a very specific language: the union of art and science. This is what allows us to engage with different worlds, from industry to design, from education to outreach.
Looking ahead: How do you envision the future of supercars and your company?
The future will be complex and fascinating. Regulations, the environment, and new sensitivities will require innovative solutions, but we will certainly need to find a way to reconcile the internal combustion engine, which has evolved significantly over the years, with electric propulsion. Drastic or ideologically driven restrictions will necessarily need to be reconsidered. In any case, I believe there will always be room for emotion, for craftsmanship, for objects made with love and dedication. Pagani will continue to evolve while respecting its identity: advanced materials, obsessive attention to detail, and ongoing research. I don't yet know what the cars of tomorrow will look like, but I know that our task will be the same as always: to create something that speaks to people's hearts. Because, ultimately, the true driving force behind every project is the dream.
Pagani of Lugano, a new chapter in automotive excellence in Switzerland
