Czinger 21C VMax: Future Meets Madness in This 1,250-HP Hypercar
For years, the automotive world has been buzzing about Czinger, the Southern California manufacturer that has disrupted the hypercar segment with its radical design and ground-breaking technology. The company’s father-and-son founders, Kevin and Lukas Czinger, have been vocal about their vision of the future of automotive engineering, and this year, we finally had the chance to experience it firsthand.
I was granted access to a Czinger 21C VMax for a three-day road rally through the picturesque wine country of Northern California. While I was eager to push the car to its limits on the track, I was equally interested in exploring how this futuristic hypercar would fare on the open road. Could it handle the rigors of a 500-mile journey while maintaining the raw power and cutting-edge performance that Czinger is known for?
Factory Fresh: A Glimpse into the Future
My journey began at the Czinger facility, which is part of the parent company Divergent Technologies. This is where the magic happens. Divergent uses iterative artificial intelligence and massive 3D printers to design and produce incredibly lightweight and strong mechanical components. It’s a process that has been hailed as the future of manufacturing, and it’s not hard to see why.
I was given a tour of the facility by Lukas Czinger himself, and what I saw was nothing short of awe-inspiring. Inside one of the giant 3D printers, lasers were zapping powdered aluminum into automotive parts that looked like bird bones. The technology is so advanced that it has already been adopted by the Department of Defense and several automotive OEMs, including Aston Martin, Bugatti, and McLaren. It’s a testament to the genius of Divergent’s approach to engineering.
As Lukas explained, their technology reaches the “Pareto optimal,” the point where any change, either adding or subtracting weight, would be detrimental. Imagine engineering a part to withstand forces as strong as Y within a certain space. Divergent’s software iterates through hundreds of thousands of designs until it finds the strongest, lightest shape. It’s like evolutionary biology on fast-forward.
Under the Carbon Fiber
Czinger produces two versions of its 21st-century hypercar. The high-downforce, track-focused 21C and the wingless, long-tailed VMax. Technically, both cars are referred to as the 21C VMax, but the “21C” branding is absent on the vehicle itself.
I spent my time in a stunning silver VMax. The cabin feels more like a cockpit than a typical car interior, akin to a jet fighter. There’s glass less than a foot from each side of your head, offering incredible visibility. Getting in and out is… an experience. You sit with your legs facing out on the massive sill, pull your knees up and spin on your butt as you tuck your feet into the footwell, and slide your head under the roof.
One reason the sills are so substantial is that they house batteries. The 21C VMax is a hybrid hypercar, with each sill containing 2.2 kWh of battery power, for a total of 4.4 kWh. This isn’t a plug-in hybrid; a motor powered by the mid-mounted V-8 engine keeps the pack charged. Those batteries can deliver 500 hp to the front axle, which features one motor per wheel.
The combustion engine is a Czinger-designed 2.9-liter twin-turbo V-8 producing 750 hp on California’s standard 91-octane premium fuel. If you upgrade to 100-octane race fuel, the horsepower jumps to 850. Czinger has also developed a version running on ethanol, which we predict will yield an additional 10% power increase.
The gas engine powers the rear wheels via an Xtrac single-clutch automated semi-sequential gearbox. This gearbox, similar to the seven-speed found in Pagani’s Utopia, also features 3D-printed components. Czinger uses small 48-volt electric motors to smooth out shifts at lower speeds, eliminating the jerky, surging feel that plagues other automated single-clutch gearboxes. The twin-barrel actuators work flawlessly, which I was thankful to discover while navigating parking lots and gas stations.
Track Time: A Rush Like No Other
As is custom with many high-dollar hypercars (Bugatti and Pagani), Czinger placed a professional driver, Evan Jacobs, in the car to ensure my safety. After a brief orientation, Jacobs vouched for my driving skills, allowing me to drive solo for the remainder of the rally.
We made a stop at Laguna Seca for a few parade laps. However, non-Czinger employees are prohibited from driving the VMax on track, even at the relatively slow speeds dictated by the rally participants.
Even if you can’t drive, the ride is worth the experience. I scrambled into the peculiar rear seat, and let me tell you, the fit is tight. My calves and feet were wedged between the carbon-fiber tub and the seat. But the visibility is incredible. It truly feels like a stunt plane, a unique way to experience a racetrack, something I’ve done countless times before.
Jacobs convinced the Skip Barber Racing School staff to let him take the VMax for a couple of “6/10ths” hot laps. The most thrilling ride I’ve ever experienced was in an Aston Martin Valkyrie LMH race car, where I could feel my blood pooling in my extremities during braking. The Czinger VMax now holds the second spot, and remember, Jacobs was holding back. Even at this pace and without the big rear wing, it’s easy to understand how the Czinger 21C achieved the “California Gold Rush,” setting five production-car track records in five days and driving from each track to the next.
Later, Czinger returned to Laguna Seca to reclaim the throne from a track-special Koenigsegg Jesko Sadair’s Spear. The lap time—a staggering 1 minute, 22.30 seconds—is faster than the fastest MotoAmerica Superbike lap ever recorded at the track, a 1:22.56.
Czinger claims a weight of approximately 3,600 pounds, which is remarkably light for a 1,250-hp hybrid. For context, the Ferrari SF90 Stradale Assetto Fiorano—the most powerful version of the three-motor, twin-turbo V-8 PHEV at 986 hp—weighs 3,839 pounds. The new Lamborghini Temerario, another three-motor, twin-turbo V-8 (making less power but serving as a good comparison), weighs 4,185 pounds.
The SF90 and Temerario are the quickest gas-powered cars MotorTrend has ever tested (the Ferrari for 0-60 mph, the Lambo for the quarter mile). If Czinger’s weight claim holds true, this California startup has managed to outperform two Italian legends. Considering that Los Angeles is more famous for entertainment than supercar manufacturing, this is a remarkable achievement.
On the Road: Navigating the Unexpected
The rally route predominantly featured tight, winding back roads with rough, weathered pavement—not the kind of surface you’d expect on a hypercar dream trip. Plus, there was a lot of following the pack, navigating to lunch and coffee stops, and keeping pace with the camera car. At the time, I was slightly disappointed, but in retrospect, I gained a perspective closer to what most owners will experience when living with a Czinger.
To my surprise, the VMax performed remarkably like any other hyper-exotic. Take everything out of your pockets, drink your water before getting in (no cupholders), and numb yourself to the attention—especially from males aged 16 to 24, who will be looking, following, waving, and revving in appreciation.
Regardless, the Czinger rides much better than I anticipated. The team deserves applause for not making it overly stiff. The air conditioning even works well. My only real complaint about the “just driving around doing normal stuff” aspect of the VMax is the cabin noise. I’m not talking about the engine note, but rather a lack of sound deadening. This is fine for a track car like the standard 21C but a noticeable oversight on a road car like the VMax. It becomes especially apparent after hours on the road. Yes, weight is the enemy of performance, but how much does sound-deadening foam weigh? Maybe 20 or 25 pounds? I’d gladly trade ten of those for a quieter ride—it would make a world of difference.
Get to the Good Part
We finally reached some proper California canyon roads, where I could fully open up the Czinger 21C VMax. Just as quickly as my right foot pressed the throttle, it was already dancing on the brake pedal. I’ve driven EVs with this much power, but the weight differential makes them feel different. I’ve driven the Ferrari F80, which makes about the same power but relies more on its gas engine and less on electric assistance. The Czinger is an entirely different species of accelerative beast.
This is the first time in my career I’ve had to admit this: I think this car might be too much for public roads. I hate saying it, but every time I hit the throttle, the braking zone appeared as if by magic. Like a
