Things are progressing nicely with the development on the replacement Pagani Zonda, known internally as the C9, and the test mule is now over in the US as part of its ongoing durability trials. Don’t be fooled by the Zonda like looks in these photos though, as this is just the running prototype that uses modified Zonda bodywork to hide the new running gear. The C9 will introduce an all new look for Pagani and is being kept closely under wraps. The engine in the C9 is expected to be an all new twin turbo V12, based on the unit destined for the SL65 black but will be unique to Pagani, packing even more horsepower than the 650bhp Mercedes have announced for the SL65 Black. While the gearbox is an all new sequential unit co-developed with ZF.

As Mercedes will be supplying the engine for the new car, Pagani has been utilising some of Mercedes worldwide test facilities (including those in the US) as the C9 is the first Pagani designed to be a world car. When the finished production car is finally revealed at the Geneva show in March 2010, production at a new facility in Modena will start straight away and some of the first cars are already destined to be delivered to the US. In the meantime we’ve got the track-only Zonda R to look forward to later this year and the five special Zonda Cinque being built as a celebration of the great Pagani Zonda. When the new car finally arrives expect it to be priced somewhere between the Zonda F and Veyron (so around the £750,000 mark) and be blisteringly quick but with the fantastic, delicate feel of the current Zonda. Can’t wait.