The Czinger 21C VMax: Where Extreme Engineering Meets the Open Road
The automotive world is currently experiencing a radical shift, spearheaded by innovators who dare to blend cutting-edge engineering with raw performance. Among the most audacious of these newcomers is Czinger, a Southern California startup that has burst onto the scene not with incremental upgrades, but with a revolutionary hypercar. The 21C VMax is more than just a luxury vehicle; it represents a glimpse into the future of high-performance motoring, combining radical design, advanced manufacturing, and raw, unadulterated speed.
My journey with the Czinger 21C VMax began with a three-day road rally through California’s stunning wine country, an experience that pushed this machine to its absolute limits. While there is certainly a track story to tell—one that proves the 21C can indeed set world records—I was most interested in experiencing the car in a real-world context. What does it feel like to pilot a center-steer, tandem-seat hypercar on a 500-mile trek through winding roads?
The answer is exhilarating, surprising, and at times, absolutely insane.
Factory Fresh: Walking Through a Manufacturing Revolution
Before even touching the throttle, I had to gain access to Czinger’s manufacturing facility, and it was a stark reminder that this company operates in a league of its own. I’ve been to numerous hypercar factories in my career, but this was the first time I needed to present a U.S. passport to enter.
Czinger operates under the umbrella of Divergent Technologies, a company that has pioneered the use of additive manufacturing (3D printing) in the automotive industry. Utilizing advanced artificial intelligence, Divergent designs and produces incredibly lightweight and strong mechanical components that would be impossible to create using traditional methods. This unique positioning led to my security requirement: Divergent supplies parts to the U.S. Department of Defense, or at least to suppliers serving the DOD.
Inside the facility, I was given a personal tour by Lukas Czinger, the CEO of both companies. The experience was nothing short of phenomenal. One corner of the factory housed the massive 3D printers, where I witnessed powdered aluminum being fused layer by layer into intricate automotive parts. It was like watching the evolutionary process of a bird’s skeletal structure on fast-forward. These parts, which Czinger refers to as reaching the “Pareto optimal,” are engineered to the point where any additional gram of weight would negatively impact performance.
Beyond the DOD, Divergent is a crucial supplier for nine automotive OEMs. While only Aston Martin (DBR22 Roadster), Bugatti (Tourbillon), and McLaren (W1) publicly acknowledge their use of this technology, it’s safe to assume that high-performance cars like the Ferrari F80 employ similar design techniques. This collaboration proves that Czinger isn’t just a boutique manufacturer; it’s a technology leader driving the future of automotive engineering.
Under the Carbon Fiber: A Masterclass in Hybrid Power
Czinger builds two distinct versions of this extraordinary machine, both sharing the same revolutionary architecture. The first is the high-downforce, track-focused 21C, named in honor of the 21st century. The second is the wingless, long-tailed VMax, the car I had the privilege of piloting on the Velocity Tour—a 500-mile road rally through Northern California’s wine country. For the VMax, the “21C” badging is notably absent from the vehicle itself, emphasizing its distinct identity as a road-legal hypercar.
Describing the cabin as anything less than a cockpit feels insufficient. The interior is best described as a canopy, a clear nod to the design inspiration of jet fighters. While I’ve never flown a fighter jet, I have had the experience of riding in an Extra 330LT stunt plane, and the similarity is striking. The visibility is exceptional, offering an unparalleled 360-degree view. However, entering and exiting the vehicle is a spectacle in itself. It requires a delicate maneuver: you sit with your legs extended outward on the wide sill, pull your knees up, rotate your body, and carefully tuck your feet into the low footwell, all while sliding your head under the roof.
The reason the sills are so substantial is no accident; they are packed with batteries. The 21C VMax is a hybrid hypercar, featuring 2.2 kWh of battery power in each sill, totaling 4.4 kWh. This isn’t a plug-in hybrid; instead, a motor powered by the mid-mounted V8 engine keeps the batteries charged. These batteries can deliver a staggering 500 horsepower to the front axle, which is independently driven by two electric motors.
The combustion heart of the VMax is a Czinger-designed 2.9-liter twin-turbo V8 engine producing 750 horsepower when running on California’s 91-octane premium unleaded. For those seeking even more power, feeding the tank with 100-octane race fuel boosts the output to 850 horsepower. Czinger has also indicated that the engine can run on ethanol, which is projected to unlock a further 10% increase in power, though these specific figures have not yet been released.
Power is channeled to the rear wheels through an Xtrac single-clutch automated semi-sequential gearbox. This unit is similar to the seven-speed Xtrac used in the Pagani Utopia. However, Czinger goes a step further by not only 3D printing the gearbox housing but also integrating small 48-volt electric motors that enable faster shifts at lower speeds. This innovative solution eliminates the “drunken surging” characteristic of most automated single-clutch gearboxes at low RPMs. The twin-barrel actuators work exactly as advertised, making low-speed maneuvers like entering gas stations, restaurants, and hotel parking lots feel almost normal.
Track Time: A Lesson in Extreme Performance
While the rally was exhilarating, the most intense part of the experience came when I had the chance to experience the 21C VMax on a closed circuit. Given the car’s $2.5 million price tag and the presence of a professional driver, Evan Jacobs, in the passenger seat for the first day, I knew I was in for something special. Thankfully, by the evening, Jacobs assured the Czinger team I was no threat to the vehicle and allowed me to drive solo for the remainder of the rally.
Our stop at Laguna Seca for some parade laps was slightly frustrating, as non-Czinger employees are forbidden from driving the VMax on racetracks, even at the slow pace the rally participants were restricted to. However, even the slower laps offered an unforgettable experience.
I was grateful to have the opportunity to ride in the passenger seat, even though the rear seat’s design is rather unusual. The visibility is incredible, reminding me of a stunt plane and providing a novel perspective on track driving. The rear seat is best suited for passengers with slimmer legs and smaller feet; my XXL calves were squeezed uncomfortably between the carbon-fiber tub and the seat, and my feet struggled to find adequate space. However, the view through the side glass was unmatched.
This was especially true when Jacobs agreed to take the VMax for a couple of “6/10ths” hot laps. The most visceral hot lap I’ve ever experienced was in an Aston Martin Valkyrie LMH race car, where I could feel the blood pooling in my extremities during braking. The Czinger VMax is now a close second, even without Jacobs pushing the car to its full limit and without the massive rear wing for downforce. It became clear how the 21C was able to achieve the legendary “California Gold Rush.”
The 21C set five production car track records across California’s most iconic circuits—Thunder Hill, Sonoma Raceway, Laguna Seca, Willow Springs, and the Thermal Club—all within five days. Czinger later returned to Laguna Seca to reclaim the lap record from the Koenigsegg Jesko Sadair’s Spear, posting a blistering 1 minute, 22.30 seconds. This lap is faster than the fastest MotoAmerica Superbike lap ever recorded at Laguna Seca, a time of 1:22.56.
Czinger claims a vehicle weight of approximately 3,600 pounds, which is remarkably light for a 1,250-horsepower hybrid. To put this in perspective, the Ferrari SF90 Stradale Asseto Fiorano—the most powerful version of a three-motor, twin-turbo V8 PHEV with 986 hp—weighs 3,839 pounds. The new Lamborghini Temerario, another hybrid with less power but a similar engine architecture, exceeds two tons, tipping the scales at 4,185 pounds.
Now is a good time to mention that the Ferrari SF90 and Lamborghini Temerario are the two quickest gasoline-powered cars MotorTrend has ever tested (the Ferrari holds the 0–60 mph record, and the Lambo holds the quarter-mile record). If Czinger’s weight claim is accurate, this unorthodox startup has managed to outpace two Italian legends right out of the gate. This is remarkable on its own, but even more so when considering that Southern California is not exactly known for its supercar building expertise. In other words, L.A. is not exactly Modena.
On the Road: A Surprise in the Wine Country
The chosen route for the rally consisted mainly of true back roads. The asphalt was tight, winding, and rough—hardly the type of road surface that hypercar dream trips are
