A Journey into the Future: Czinger 21C VMax Breaks Records and Redefines Performance
For years, the automotive world has watched the Southern California startup Czinger with a mix of awe and incredulity. Now, the company has unveiled its latest masterpiece, the 21C VMax, a hypercar that is as revolutionary as it is bizarre. This review explores the inner workings of this 3D-printed marvel, its blistering performance, and the unique challenges of driving a 1,250-horsepower hybrid that challenges the very definition of automotive engineering.
Factory Fresh: The Art of Additive Manufacturing
The journey begins at the Divergent Technologies factory, a place that feels more like a high-tech aerospace research lab than a car manufacturing plant. The parent company of Czinger, Divergent Technologies, specializes in additive manufacturing, or 3D printing, for the automotive and defense industries. This technology allows for the creation of components that are both incredibly lightweight and remarkably strong, pushing the boundaries of what is possible in automotive design.
Lukas Czinger, the young CEO of both companies, explains that their approach reaches “Pareto optimal,” the point where any addition or subtraction of weight would be detrimental. By using artificial intelligence to iterate through millions of designs, Divergent creates parts that are optimized for strength, weight, and efficiency. While the company supplies parts to defense contractors, its automotive partners include Aston Martin, Bugatti, and McLaren, with strong rumors linking the Ferrari F80 to Divergent’s technology as well.
Under the Carbon Fiber: A Hybrid Revolution
Czinger builds two versions of the 21C: the high-downforce track monster and the wingless VMax. This review focuses on the VMax, a limited-production hypercar that boasts a unique powertrain and an equally unique driving experience.
The car features two 2.2-kWh battery packs in the side sills, providing a total of 500 horsepower to the front axle. The combustion engine is a Czinger-designed 2.9-liter twin-turbo V-8 that produces 750 horsepower on California’s 91-octane premium unleaded gasoline. With 100-octane race fuel, the engine can produce up to 850 horsepower, and ethanol versions are rumored to be even more powerful.
Power is sent to the rear wheels via an Xtrac single-clutch automated semi-sequential gearbox. Czinger not only 3D prints the transmission case but also uses small 48-volt electric motors to execute shifts at low speeds, eliminating the shuddering and surging that often plagues automated single-clutch transmissions. The car’s low-speed drivability, even in city environments, is a testament to this innovative engineering.
Track Time: Chasing Records and Pushing Limits
For the inaugural Velocity Tour, a 500-mile road rally through Central and Northern California, I found myself piloting a silver VMax. The seating arrangement is notably unconventional, with a center-steer cockpit that places the driver in a tandem two-seater setup, resembling a fighter jet more than a traditional car.
Czinger sticks a pro driver in the car for the initial testing period to ensure safety, but as the rally progressed, I was allowed to drive solo. The VMax also stops by Laguna Seca for a few laps, where non-Czinger employees are not permitted to drive on the track, even at a leisurely pace.
Riding shotgun in the rear seat provides an unparalleled view of the track, similar to a stunt plane. This novelty is especially impressive given the VMax’s performance capabilities. The car has set five production car track records at Thunder Hill, Sonoma Raceway, Laguna Seca, Willow Springs, and the Thermal Club in five days, all while driving between tracks. Later, Czinger returned to Laguna Seca to reclaim the throne from a Koenigsegg Jesko Sadair’s Spear with a lap time of 1 minute, 22.30 seconds, faster than the fastest MotoAmerica Superbike lap ever recorded there.
Czinger claims a vehicle weight of approximately 3,600 pounds, which is light for a 1,250-horsepower hybrid. For comparison, the Ferrari SF90 Stradale Assetto Fiorano, a three-motor twin-turbo V-8 PHEV with 986 hp, weighs 3,839 pounds. The new Lamborghini Temerario, another three-motor, twin-turbo V-8, weighs 4,185 pounds. These figures highlight the engineering brilliance of the Czinger 21C VMax, especially considering the relative lack of supercar building expertise in Southern California.
On the Road: Everyday Usability with a Twist
The rally route primarily consisted of narrow, winding roads, which tested the VMax’s handling and everyday drivability. While most owners will likely use the car for occasional track days and weekend drives, it’s important to understand its limitations.
The VMax is mostly like driving any other hyper-exotic. Drivers must be mindful of the tight seats, the lack of cupholders, and the attention it attracts from passersby. The ride is surprisingly comfortable, and the air conditioning works well, but the cabin lacks sound deadening, making it noisy inside, especially on long drives. While weight is a performance enemy, the lack of sound deadening is a notable oversight on a road car.
Get to the Good Part: Power and Performance
On proper canyon roads, the Czinger 21C VMax unleashed its full power. The acceleration is unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. While EVs can be fast, they can’t match the raw power of the VMax. The car accelerates so quickly that the braking zones appear almost instantaneously. This is a car that feels like it bends the road rather than rolling over it.
In fact, this is the first time I’ve ever said this in my career: this car might be too much for public roads. Even on 91-octane gas, the Czinger VMax is incredibly potent, and it corners beautifully with prodigious grip. However, its extreme capabilities might make it more suited for the wider, faster roads of California’s canyons like Angeles Crest or Highway 33. It’s a car that pushes the boundaries of what’s possible, but that’s also what makes it so special.
Who Is This Car For?
If you’re in the market for a $2.5 million tandem-seat hypercar, you likely already own a collection of high-performance vehicles. However, the Czinger 21C VMax is truly different. With only 80 units being built, it’s a rare and exclusive machine. Czinger’s follow-up model is rumored to feature more conventional seating, so if you’re looking for a unique driving experience, the 21C VMax might be the car for you.
For those who appreciate the cutting edge of automotive technology, the 21C VMax is a testament to innovation and pushing the limits of what’s possible. Its 3D-printed components, hybrid powertrain, and record-setting performance make it a true marvel of modern engineering. If you’re looking for a hypercar that challenges the status quo and offers an unparalleled driving experience, the Czinger 21C VMax is a vehicle that should be on your radar.
