Yet another reason why street racing is a very dumb idea comes out of Europe this week. The end result of this meeting between two egotistical drivers? The total destruction of an ultra-limited edition 2007 Pagani Zonda F Roadster. But it gets better: The 28-year-old German pilot was travelling 198.8 mph on Italy’s A10 Autostrada when he lost control. Miraculously, he and his 21-year-old Lithuanian passenger crawled from the mangled mess of aluminum, carbon fiber, and titanium unhurt.
According to multiple Italian reports citing crash experts and law enforcement, the Monaco-registered 650-horsepower drop-top was racing a Mercedes-Benz near Sportorno on the northwestern coast of Italy when the driver lost control and hit a guardrail. The hand-built super exotic then overturned, collided with the Mercedes-Benz, and finally spun to a stop. Of course, police immediately revoked the driver’s license.
This isn’t the first time the young unidentified German has been in trouble with the Italian police. Rumor has it, he was fined a hefty sum in April 2010 for illegally racing a Lamborghini Gallardo near the same stretch of highway.
Luckily for him and his friend, Pagani integrates a carbon-fiber passenger tub for rigidity, lightness, and safety. This time around, the advanced racing-derived safety measure worked as designed. Only 25 examples of the Zonda F Roadster were ever built.
source : automobilemag.com
