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Czinger 21C VMax: Engineering a Future Beyond Our Imagination For over a decade, the automotive world has watched with a mix of awe and bewilderment as Czinger Automotive and its parent company, Divergent Technologies, pursued a vision so radical it defied the established norms of hypercar design. They were not merely aiming to build another fast car; they were attempting to redefine what a car could be. And finally, after years of anticipation, we finally got behind the wheel of one of these groundbreaking machines—the 21C VMax—on a three-day rally across the picturesque landscapes of Northern California. Yes, the 21C is capable of shattering lap records on legendary circuits like Laguna Seca, but our objective was to explore something different. We wanted to understand how a seven-figure, 1,250-horsepower hypercar, built with futuristic 3D-printed technology and a center-steer, tandem two-seat configuration, performs on public roads. The idea was to push the boundaries of what’s possible in the automotive realm and to see if this engineering marvel could truly deliver on its promise of the future. Factory Fresh: Inside the Divergent Revolution My journey to experience the Czinger began not at a typical dealership, but at the parent company’s headquarters in Southern California. The visit required showing my U.S. passport, a rarity for a car factory, but it underscored the unusual nature of Divergent Technologies. The company utilizes cutting-edge artificial intelligence and massive 3D printing capabilities to design and manufacture incredibly lightweight and strong mechanical components. Lukas Czinger, the young CEO of both companies, gave me a tour that was both surreal and awe-inspiring. Peeking inside one of the massive printers felt like witnessing the future firsthand. Multiple lasers were rapidly sintering powdered aluminum into automotive parts that resembled delicate bird bones. It’s a truly mesmerizing sight. Lukas explained that Divergent’s technology strives for “Pareto optimality,” a point where any addition or subtraction of a single gram becomes detrimental to performance. Imagine an engineer designing a rear suspension damper reservoir bracket. The software iterates through hundreds of thousands of designs within the limited space, searching for the strongest, lightest possible shape. This process is essentially evolutionary biology on fast-forward. Beyond the Department of Defense contracts, nine automotive manufacturers rely on Divergent for 3D-printed parts. Aston Martin, Bugatti, and McLaren are among the few who openly acknowledge the partnership, though the control arms on the Ferrari F80 look suspiciously like suspect prints. Under the Carbon Fiber Czinger offers two distinct versions of the same fundamental vehicle. The track-focused 21C, named for the 21st century, features aggressive aerodynamics and a prominent wing. The 21C VMax, on the other hand, is a wingless, long-tailed variant designed for road use and straight-line speed. For the inaugural Velocity Tour, a 500-mile rally through Northern California’s Wine Country, I had the privilege of driving a silver VMax. The term “piloting” is intentionally used here, as the cabin feels less like a traditional car interior and more like a jet fighter canopy. While I haven’t flown in a jet fighter, I have experienced the ride in an Extra 330LT stunt plane, and the similarity is striking. Glass sits less than a foot from your head on both sides, providing unparalleled visibility. However, getting in and out of the car is a ridiculous process: you must position your legs facing outward on the massive sill, pull your knees up and spin on your butt to tuck your feet into the footwell, and then slide your head under the roof. The massive sills are necessary because they house batteries. The 21C VMax is a hybrid hypercar, with 2.2-kWh batteries in each sill for a 4.4-kWh total. While not a plug-in hybrid, the mid-mounted V-8 engine charges the pack via a motor. This electrical system can deliver 500 horsepower to the front wheels, each powered by its own electric motor. The combustion engine is a Czinger-designed 2.9-liter twin-turbo V-8 producing 750 horsepower on standard 91-octane fuel. Switching to 100-octane race fuel bumps the output to 850 horsepower. Czinger has also developed ethanol-compatible engines that could produce even more power, though those figures remain unpublished. The gasoline engine sends power to the rear wheels through an Xtrac single-clutch automated sequential transmission. It’s similar to the seven-speed Xtrac unit used in the Pagani Utopia, but Czinger goes a step further by 3D-printing the transmission case and using small 48-volt electric motors to smooth out shifts at lower speeds. This eliminates the “drunken” lurching common in other automated single-clutch gearboxes. In low-speed situations, the twin-barrel actuators performed flawlessly, a welcome relief when navigating gas stations, restaurants, and hotel parking lots. Track Time: Pushing the Envelope While the VMax is designed for the road, the core 21C platform is a track beast. For comparison, the 21C has previously set five production car track records in Northern California—at Thunder Hill, Sonoma Raceway, Laguna Seca, Willow Springs, and the Thermal Club—in just five days. Czinger later returned to Laguna Seca to reclaim its own record from a track-only Koenigsegg Jesko Sadair’s Spear, clocking a blistering 1 minute, 22.30 seconds—faster than the fastest MotoAmerica Superbike lap ever recorded there. The production 21C boasts a claimed weight of roughly 3,600 pounds, which is incredibly light for a 1,250-horsepower hybrid. For context, the Ferrari SF90 Stradale Assetto Fiorano, the most powerful version of a three-motor twin-turbo V-8 PHEV with only 986 hp, weighs 3,839 pounds. The new Lamborghini Temerario, another three-motor V-8 hybrid (though with lower horsepower), exceeds two tons at 4,185 pounds. Now’s a good time to note that the SF90 and Temerario are two of the quickest gasoline-powered cars MotorTrend has ever tested—the Ferrari for 0–60 mph and the Lambo for the quarter mile. If Czinger’s weight claims prove true, the unorthodox California startup has managed to outperform two Italian legends right out of the gate. This is remarkable on its own, especially considering that Los Angeles is not exactly Modena, and there’s no long-standing history of supercar engineering expertise in Southern California. The Unexpected Reality of the Drive For the Velocity Tour, we largely stuck to true back roads—tight, winding, and uneven pavement, not exactly the asphalt dream trips that typically feature in hypercar reviews. We also spent a lot of time following the convoy, navigating to lunch and coffee stops, and keeping pace with the camera car. At the time, I admit I felt slightly disappointed. However, in retrospect, I realized I experienced exactly what most owners will experience while living with a Czinger. To my surprise, the VMax handled like any other high-end hyper-exotic. You learn quickly to empty your pockets before getting in, as the seats are tight. Drink your water beforehand, as there are no cupholders. And mentally prepare yourself for constant attention—most people on the road, especially young men, will be staring, following, waving, and revving at you while screaming friendly obscenities. Regardless of the external attention, the Czinger rides much better than I expected. The team deserves applause for not making it overly stiff. Even the air conditioning works well. My only complaint about the “normal driving” aspect of the VMax is the cabin noise. This isn’t the sound of the unique V-8 engine but rather a complete lack of sound deadening. This is perfect for a track-focused car like the standard 21C, but it’s an annoying oversight on a road car like the VMax. It becomes especially noticeable during long drives. Yes, weight is the enemy of performance, but how much does sound deadening weigh? Twenty or twenty-five pounds? According to Google, it’s between 10 and 50 pounds. Why not just add 10 pounds of the stuff? It would be a massive improvement. The Final Stretch Eventually, we reached some proper California canyon roads, and I finally had the chance to let the Czinger 21C VMax stretch its legs. As quickly as my right foot reached the throttle pedal’s kickdown point, it was already hitting the brake pedal. I’ve driven EVs with this much power, but they feel heavier. I’ve driven the Ferrari F80, which has similar power but relies less on electric assistance and more on the gasoline engine. The Czinger is a different species of accelerative animal. For the first time in my career, I’m saying this: this car might be too much for public roads. I hate even typing that, but every time I mashed the accelerator, the next braking zone appeared instantaneously. It’s like warp drive, the car bending space rather than rolling over the pavement. Yes, I despise admitting it, but in this specific case, the Czinger VMax on 91-octane fuel is simply too much. I suppose I should mention that it corners beautifully and has an astonishing amount of grip. However, the Southern California canyons we drove through were