The Czinger 21C VMax: A 1,250-HP Hybrid Hypercar That Defies the Rules
For years, the automotive world has been eagerly anticipating a chance to get behind the wheel of a Czinger hypercar. Now, after a three-day road rally through the scenic wine country of Central and Northern California, we have the inside scoop on this revolutionary Southern California–built machine. While there’s certainly a track story to tell—and believe us, we’ll get to that—the real story lies in the experience of driving a 3D-printed, alien-tech, seven-figure hybrid hypercar on public roads.
Factory Fresh: A Glimpse into the Future of Manufacturing
Czinger’s parent company, Divergent Technologies, is redefining automotive manufacturing with the use of iterative artificial intelligence and massive 3D printers. The technology produces incredibly light and strong mechanical components, and it’s a concept that caught the attention of the U.S. Department of Defense, making a passport a necessity just to enter the factory.
Lukas Czinger, the young CEO of both Divergent Technologies and Czinger, gave us a firsthand tour of the facility. The experience was nothing short of breathtaking. Witnessing dozens of lasers fuse powdered aluminum into automotive parts that resemble delicate bird bones felt like a peek into the future of mobility. This is the point where the technology reaches “Pareto optimal,” where every gram added or subtracted affects the overall performance.
Imagine an engineer tasked with designing a part that must withstand extreme forces while remaining as light as possible. Using AI, the software iterates through hundreds of thousands of designs, creating the strongest, lightest shape imaginable. It’s like watching evolution in fast-forward. While the DOD is a notable client, nine automotive OEMs rely on Divergent for 3D-printed parts. Aston Martin (DBR22 Roadster), Bugatti (Tourbillon), and McLaren (W1) publicly admit to using the technology, and there’s speculation that Ferrari’s F80 might be using it too.
Under the Carbon Fiber: Two Versions, One Hybrid Beast
Czinger builds two versions of the 21C. The high-downforce, track monster is known as the 21C (named after the 21st century), while the wingless, long-tailed version is the 21C VMax. For the inaugural Velocity Tour, a 500-mile road rally, we found ourselves behind the wheel of a silver VMax.
The cabin feels more like a fighter jet cockpit than a traditional car interior. With glass less than a foot away from both sides of your head, the visibility is incredible. However, getting in and out is a unique 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 then slide your head under the roof.
One reason the sills are so wide is because they’re packed with 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. The car isn’t a plug-in hybrid, as a motor powered by the mid-mounted V-8 engine keeps the pack charged. These batteries provide 500 horsepower to the front axle, where each wheel has its own motor. The Czinger-designed 2.9-liter twin-turbo V-8 produces 750 hp on 91-octane premium unleaded. Switch to 100-octane race fuel, and the horsepower jumps to 850. While the small but mighty engine can also run on ethanol for even more power, the exact figures remain under wraps, but we predict a 10 percent increase.
The gas engine sends power to the rear wheels through an Xtrac single-clutch automated semi-sequential gearbox. This is similar to the Xtrac seven-speed Pagani uses on the Utopia, but Czinger not only 3D prints the transmission case but also uses small 48-volt electric motors for smoother shifts at low speeds. This eliminates the jerky, surging feeling of other automated single-clutch gearboxes. The twin-barrel actuators work exactly as advertised in low-speed situations, making the experience of pulling into gas stations, restaurants, and hotel parking lots feel almost normal.
Track Time: Riding Shotgun in a Hypercar Legend
For the first day, a professional driver (Evan Jacobs) sat in the back seat to ensure safety. As is common practice with high-end hypercars, Czinger wanted to make sure the $2.5 million machine didn’t end up on a cliff. Thankfully, Jacobs later confirmed that I was no threat to the car and allowed me to drive solo for the rest of the rally. We stopped by Laguna Seca for some parade laps, but non-Czinger employees aren’t allowed to drive the VMax on racetracks, even at the slow pace required for rally participants.
Even if you can’t drive, you can still enjoy the ride. I climbed into the rear seat, and for those with big calves or feet, the experience might be tight. My XXL calves were wedged between the carbon-fiber tub and the seat, and my feet didn’t fit well either. However, the visibility through the side glass is incredible, reminding me of a stunt plane. It’s a novel way to experience a racetrack, something I’ve done over 1,000 times before.
Jacobs and I convinced the Skip Barber Racing School staff to let him take the VMax for a few “6/10ths” hot laps. The most impressive hot lap I’ve ever experienced was riding shotgun in an Aston Martin Valkyrie LMH race car, where I could feel the blood pooling in my extremities under braking. The Czinger VMax is now second on that list. Even at less than full throttle and without the big-downforce rear wing, it’s easy to understand how the 21C achieved the California Gold Rush. The car set five production car track records—at Thunder Hill, Sonoma Raceway, Laguna Seca, Willow Springs, and the Thermal Club—in just five days, driving between tracks along the way. Czinger later returned to Laguna Seca to reclaim the throne from a track-special Koenigsegg Jesko Sadair’s Spear, setting a blistering lap time of 1 minute, 22.30 seconds. This is quicker than the fastest MotoAmerica Superbike lap ever recorded at Laguna, a 1:22.56.
Czinger claims a vehicle weight of approximately 3,600 pounds, which is quite light for a 1,250-hp hybrid. For context, the Ferrari SF90 Stradale Asseto Fiorano—the highest-performance version of a three-motor twin-turbo V-8 PHEV that makes only 986 hp—weighs 3,839 pounds. The new Lamborghini Temerario, another three-motor, twin-turbo V-8 with less power, weighs 4,185 pounds. If Czinger’s weight claim holds true, the unorthodox California startup has managed to beat two Italian legends with job one. This is remarkable, especially considering that Southern California isn’t exactly Modena when it comes to supercar building expertise.
On the Road: A Hypercar for the Real World
The rally route consisted mostly of true back roads—tight, winding, and rough pavement, not the kind of asphalt you typically associate with hypercar dream trips. Plus, there was a lot of following the pack, navigating to lunch and coffee stops, and hanging with the camera car. While I was perhaps disappointed at the time, in retrospect, the experience closely resembles what most owners will experience while living with a Czinger.
To my surprise, the VMax felt mostly like driving any other hyper-exotic. Take everything out of your pockets as the seats are tight, drink your water before you get in as there are no cupholders, and numb yourself to the fact that almost everyone else on the road, especially males between the ages of 16 and 24, will be looking at you, following you, waving at you, and revving at you, all while (probably) screaming friendly obscenities. Regardless, the Czinger rides much better than I expected; the team deserves applause for not making it overly stiff. Even the air conditioning works well. If I have any complaint about the “just driving around doing normal stuff” aspect of the VMax, it’s the cabin noise. I’m not talking about the unique V-8 sound, but rather the lack of sound deadening. That’s great for a track car like the other version of the 21C but an annoying oversight on a road car like the VMax. It becomes especially apparent when you’re in the car for hours. While weight is the enemy of performance, how much does sound-deadening foam weigh? 20 pounds? 25? Google AI says between 10 and 50 pounds. Perhaps 10 pounds of the stuff would make a big difference overall.
Get to the Good Part: When the Road Opens Up
We finally reached some proper California canyon roads, and I got to open up the Czinger 21C VMax. Just as quickly as my right foot hit the throttle, it was already hitting the brake pedal. I’ve driven EVs with this much power, but there’s so much more weight. I’ve driven the Ferrari F80, which makes about the same power but relies less on electricity
