Leaders of Luxury: Horacio Pagani, Founder of Pagani Automobili

For the latest edition of Leaders of Luxury, we engage in exclusive conversation with motoring royalty, a man who needs little introduction as his name is eponymous with the masterful hypercar he created: Horacio Pagani.

His legend was built on just three cars: the Zonda (the first car he produced in 1992), the Huayra, and Utopia. Each car has been listed among the best of the best in luxury automobiles, year after year, decade after decade.

In this business, there are no overnight successes. Pagani came from humble beginnings in Argentina, long before his stint at Renault and Lamborghini. He speaks at length about his company’s philosophy, his inspiration and, as always, what luxury means to him today.

Vroom with a View

The Happy Valley Racecourse was a highly appropriate venue for Lamborghini to unveil the new Aventador LP 700-4 – a car with a top speed of 350km/h. But stationed amid a bevy of models and car fanatics on Friday night, the large V12 boy toy seemed tethered, its potential on pause.

As Albert Wong, director of Lamborghini Hong Kong, Andrea Baldi and James Page (also from Lamborghini) greeted guests, actor Sam Chan Yu-sum and actress Vivien Yeo Siew Hui were spotted on stage, while model Deborah Valdez, socialite Mira Yeh and others sauntered in to gape at the HK$6.31 million sports car. Club owner Xuan Mu was seen posing with a coterie of gal-pals and there was the usual stream of models.

Our vote for the best dressed of the night, however, goes to Yeh, decked head to toe in Lanvin. “I’d love to own my own Lamborghini, its such a beautiful, powerful car,” she said. “But I’d have mine in orange, not in white, with flames going by the side! A little too cliched? Well, maybe just in orange then.”

The Lamborghini owners’ brotherhood (there are more than 100 on Hong Kong Island alone) was out in force. If Happy Valley residents were rudely awakened by roars well into the night, it was the proud car-owning comrades leaving the event in top gear.

P. Ramakrishnan
(E-mail: ramakrishnanp@hotmail.com)

MINI Revolution

I don't drive. I know little about cars. But when asked to write about something, I'll do the homework. There was my usual moan-n-groan when I got this assignment but then as pointed out, I know nothing about cooking either, but that hasn't stopped me from writing about food, chefs and restaurants!