The Czinger 21C VMax: A Bold Statement from California
For years, automotive enthusiasts have kept a watchful eye on Czinger as the company steadily progresses from a theoretical dream to a tangible reality. It was a journey of anticipation that culminated in a three-day road rally, giving us a chance to push the boundaries of their latest creation, the 21C VMax. While the 21C VMax is built for one purpose—speed—we were determined to explore its capabilities in a more grounded setting: a cross-country rally through California’s wine country.
This wasn’t just about putting a 1,250-horsepower, 3D-printed, seven-figure hypercar through its paces on a track. We wanted to understand what it would be like to live with such a unique machine. The center-steer, tandem two-seater design alone is enough to challenge everything we thought we knew about hypercars. This drive was an experiment, a test to see if the 21C VMax could truly bridge the gap between the cutting edge of automotive engineering and real-world driving.
Factory Fresh: Where Innovation Meets Industry
The journey began at Czinger’s parent company, Divergent Technologies. It was an experience unlike any other. As an automotive journalist, I’ve toured numerous factories, but I’d never had to show my U.S. passport to enter one before. This security measure isn’t due to the high-performance capabilities of the cars, but rather the wide range of industries Divergent serves. The company operates as a supplier for both the automotive sector and the Department of Defense, a partnership that speaks volumes about their advanced manufacturing capabilities.
During my visit, I was given a private tour by Lukas Czinger, the young CEO of both Divergent Technologies and Czinger Vehicles. The experience was nothing short of eye-opening. As he led me into one of the massive 3D printers, it felt as though I was peering into the future of manufacturing. Lasers precisely fused powdered aluminum, building automotive components with intricate geometries that resemble bird bones. It’s an incredible sight, and it perfectly illustrates the core philosophy of the 21C.
Lukas explained that Divergent’s technology has reached what he calls “Pareto optimality.” This is a critical concept: any adjustment to the final product, whether adding or subtracting a single gram, will result in a negative impact. Engineers at Divergent are given specific targets—a required amount of space, maximum tolerance for forces, and a target strength. The software then iterates hundreds of thousands of designs to find the most efficient solution. It’s like evolution on fast-forward, but instead of millions of years, it happens in minutes.
While the Department of Defense is a significant partner, Divergent’s 3D-printed parts are also utilized by nine automotive OEMs. Many of these collaborations are confidential, but some high-profile names have publicly acknowledged their relationship with Divergent. Aston Martin uses their 3D-printed parts in the DBR22 Roadster, Bugatti incorporates them into the Tourbillon, and McLaren’s W1 features extensive use of this technology. Even the Ferrari F80’s control arms bear a striking resemblance to Divergent’s designs, hinting at a widespread adoption of this groundbreaking manufacturing approach.
Under the Carbon Fiber: The Anatomy of Speed
Czinger produces two versions of essentially the same car. The first, the 21C, is designed for extreme downforce and track performance. Named after the 21st century, it features a large rear wing that generates massive aerodynamic grip. The second is the VMax, a wingless version with an elongated tail, designed for high-speed straight-line performance on the road. For the inaugural Velocity Tour, a 500-mile road rally through Northern and Central California’s wine country, I found myself behind the wheel of a silver VMax.
The decision to use the VMax for a road rally wasn’t arbitrary. While the 21C is the extreme track machine, the VMax offers a more refined experience without compromising on the unique identity that makes a Czinger a Czinger. The challenge was to see if this radical design could handle the rigors of real-world driving, including navigation, parking, and dealing with traffic.
The cabin of the 21C VMax is unlike anything else on the road. Czinger describes it as being like a jet fighter, and I have to agree. While I haven’t flown in a fighter jet, I have experienced a ride in an Extra 330LT stunt plane, and the similarity is striking. There’s glass inches away from both sides of your head, offering an unparalleled field of vision. The visibility is phenomenal, but the process of entering and exiting the car is… well, it’s a process.
You have to sit with your legs facing outward on the massive sill, pull your knees up to your chest, and spin your body as you tuck your feet into the footwell. Once inside, you slide your head under the roof. It’s a maneuver that requires flexibility and patience, but once you’re seated, the view is worth the effort.
One of the reasons for the wide sills is the battery storage. The 21C VMax is a hybrid hypercar, and each sill houses 2.2 kWh of battery power, totaling 4.4 kWh. This isn’t a plug-in hybrid, so the onboard V8 engine charges the batteries. Those batteries feed power to the front axle, which is driven by two separate electric motors, one for each wheel.
The combustion engine is a Czinger-designed 2.9-liter twin-turbo V8 that produces 750 horsepower on California’s 91-octane premium gasoline. If you opt for 100-octane race fuel, the horsepower jumps to 850. The engine can also run on ethanol, which results in even more power, though Czinger has not yet released the exact figures for ethanol performance. We predict a 10 percent increase over the 91-octane output.
The gas engine powers the rear wheels through an Xtrac single-clutch automated semi-sequential gearbox. This is similar to the Xtrac transmission used in Pagani’s Utopia, but Czinger took it a step further. Not only did they 3D print the transmission casing, but they also integrated small 48-volt electric motors to facilitate faster shifts at low speeds. This ingenious solution eliminates the characteristic “drunken” lurching and surging that typically plagues automated single-clutch gearboxes at low RPMs. The twin-barrel actuators worked flawlessly, as I was grateful to discover. Navigating into gas stations, restaurants, and hotel parking lots felt almost normal, which is a significant achievement for a car of this caliber.
Track Time: Pushing the Limits
On a day where we were able to visit Laguna Seca, we had the chance to experience some parade laps. However, as is common practice with many high-end hypercars, Czinger required a pro driver, Evan Jacobs, to accompany me for the initial laps. This was a safety measure to ensure the car was used responsibly, but I’m happy to report that after that first session, Jacobs gave me his blessing to drive solo for the rest of the rally.
Interestingly, non-Czinger employees are not permitted to drive the VMax on racetracks, even at the restricted pace the rally participants were limited to. This restriction is understandable given the cost and complexity of the vehicle, but it does mean that the VMax’s track prowess remains largely theoretical for those outside the Czinger organization.
As I’ve learned from experience, even if you can’t drive, you can still appreciate the experience from the passenger seat. The second seat in the Czinger is a marvel of engineering, though it’s not without its quirks. If you have large calves or feet, the rear-seat experience isn’t ideal. My own calves were wedged between the carbon fiber tub and the seat, and my feet struggled to find comfortable placement. However, the visibility through the side glass is extraordinary. As I mentioned earlier, it’s like being in a stunt plane, and it was a novel way to experience a racetrack, something I’ve done more than a thousand times.
This novelty was amplified when Jacobs and I convinced the Skip Barber Racing School staff to let him take the VMax for a couple of “6/10ths” hot laps. The most impressive hot lap I’ve ever experienced was riding shotgun in an Aston Martin Valkyrie LMH race car, during which I could literally feel the blood pooling in my extremities under the forces of braking. The Czinger VMax now holds the second spot on that list. And remember, Jacobs didn’t even drive at full throttle. Even at less than maximum pace, and without the aid of the large rear downforce wing, it was easy to understand how the 21C VMax accomplished what Czinger calls the “California Gold Rush.”
The Gold Rush consisted of five production car track records in five days, achieved at Thunder Hill, Sonoma Raceway, Laguna Seca, Willow Springs, and the Thermal Club. The car drove from each track to the next, showcasing its reliability and road-going capabilities. Later, Czinger returned to Laguna Seca to not only beat their own record but to reclaim the throne from a track-special Koenigsegg Jesko Sadair’s Spear. That lap time, a blistering 1 minute, 22.30 seconds, is faster than the fastest MotoAmerica Superbike lap ever recorded at Laguna, which stands at 1:22.56
