A young couple wanted to build a special automobile with Horacio Pagani, and the Italian hypercar maker spent more than a year turning that childhood dream into reality. The result is the one-off Pagani Huayra 70 Anima, a bespoke roadster that carries a deeply personal story beneath its extraordinary finish. The name Anima, Italian for soul, was chosen in connection with the couple’s journey and a sense of renewal after difficult experiences. Their identities and the details of those experiences have not been revealed, but the car offers a glimpse into what they wanted to create with one of the world’s most exclusive automobile manufacturers.
Unveiled at the Wynn Las Vegas Concours, the Anima is the third and final car in Pagani’s Huayra 70 trilogy, created to celebrate founder Horacio Pagani’s 70th birthday. Its most striking feature is a pair of custom blue finishes containing genuine diamond dust, allowing the carbon-fiber weave beneath the transparent paint to remain visible, as reported by Road and Track. The extravagant treatment is accompanied by hand-applied platinum leaf, white ceramic exhaust outlets and an interior that carries the same attention to unusual materials. However, there is something rather unexpected about this particular Huayra that makes it more than an elaborate display of craftsmanship. It comes with a seven-speed manual gearbox, giving its 864-horsepower V12 a more involving connection with the driver.
A year of turning a childhood dream into reality
Pagani designer Lorenzo Kerkoc says the team spent more than a year working closely with the client, exploring his memories, personality and childhood ambition of creating a special automobile alongside Horacio Pagani, as reported by Quattroruoti. The result is not simply a Huayra with an expensive collection of optional finishes, but a car whose appearance reflects the people who commissioned it. Its exterior combines two transparent custom treatments, Azzurro Metallizzato Custom, or Custom Metallic Light Blue, and Blu Inchiostrato Custom, or Custom Inky Blue. Both contain diamond dust, producing a subtle sparkle while preserving the distinctive texture of the exposed carbon fiber beneath them.
The decorative stripes are just as unusual, with the main one made from actual platinum leaf that is applied and worked by hand to create an intricate pattern. A secondary stripe alternates between light blue and dark blue, while the same shades appear on the exterior mirrors and other details. The diamond-cut wheels have Blu Inchiostrato centers and Las Vegas Blue outer rims, while machined aluminum components receive a silver anodized finish. Even the six exhaust outlets are made from white ceramic, contrasting with the exposed carbon fiber and predominantly blue bodywork.
The cabin continues the bespoke treatment with beige and milk-colored leather, alongside fabric supplied by Italian luxury textile house Loro Piana. Diamond dust also appears in the finishes on the steering wheel and manual gear knob, bringing the unusual material treatment into the parts of the car that the driver actually touches. The gearshift itself has an exposed mechanical linkage, making the traditional transmission an important visual feature rather than something hidden away inside the center console. A special plaque bearing Horacio Pagani’s signature identifies the car as number three of three.
A V12 that still demands a driver’s involvement
Underneath the elaborate bodywork sits a Mercedes-AMG-developed 6.0-liter twin-turbocharged V12 producing 864 horsepower and 811 lb-ft of torque. Power goes to the rear wheels through a seven-speed manual transmission, supported by an electromechanical limited-slip differential. In an era when even the most expensive performance cars increasingly rely on automated gearboxes, the Anima retains three pedals and a traditional gear lever. It gives the owner a more direct relationship with the engine, which seems particularly appropriate for a car built around personal memories and a childhood ambition.
The Anima completes the three-car Huayra 70 collection, following the Trionfo and Derecho, and was developed by Pagani’s Grandi Complicazioni division. The programme is not just about creating expensive one-off cars, as Horacio Pagani has explained that unusual materials and new technologies developed for these commissions can eventually influence future production models. He also believes that cars like these should be driven rather than kept inside private garages. Considering the amount of personal thought and craftsmanship that has gone into this particular Huayra, its young owners have plenty of reasons to take it out and enjoy it.
