Czinger 21C VMax Review: Is This 1,250-HP Hybrid Too Much for the Street?
For years, the automotive world has watched Czinger with a mix of awe and skepticism. Can a Southern California startup, leveraging AI-generated design and cutting-edge 3D printing, really compete with the established titans of the hypercar world? To find out, I spent three days behind the wheel of the Czinger 21C VMax on a challenging road rally through California’s wine country.
The answer, I discovered, is yes. And it’s terrifying.
Factory Fresh: AI, 3D Printing, and Military Secrets
To understand the Czinger 21C VMax, you first need to understand its parent company, Divergent Technologies. Unlike traditional automakers, Divergent doesn’t just build cars; it engineers the way they’re built. Divergent has pioneered the use of artificial intelligence and large-scale 3D printing to create incredibly lightweight, strong, and complex structures that would be impossible to manufacture using traditional methods.
My visit to their Southern California facility felt less like a car factory and more like stepping into a sci-fi film. The parent company supplies parts to the Department of Defense, which explains the heightened security and the need for a government-issued ID just to enter the building. Inside, I witnessed something remarkable: a series of massive 3D printers using lasers to fuse powdered aluminum into automotive components that resembled intricate bird bones. It’s a jaw-dropping sight, a clear glimpse into the future of manufacturing.
Lukas Czinger, the young and visionary CEO of both companies, explained that Divergent’s technology reaches “Pareto optimality”—the point where any further weight reduction becomes counterproductive. Imagine a small component needed to support a rear suspension damper. A traditional engineer might design a functional but heavy part. Divergent’s software, however, iterates hundreds of thousands of designs in a fraction of the time, finding the optimal shape that is both incredibly light and structurally sound.
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Czinger 21C VMax Review: Is This 1,250-HP Hybrid Too Much for the Street?
For years, the automotive world has watched Czinger with a mix of awe and skepticism. Can a Southern California startup, leveraging AI-generated design and cutting-edge 3D printing, really compete with the established titans of the hypercar world? To find out, I spent three days behind the wheel of the Czinger 21C VMax on a challenging road rally through California’s wine country.
The answer, I discovered, is yes. And it’s terrifying.
Factory Fresh: AI, 3D Printing, and Military Secrets
To understand the Czinger 21C VMax, you first need to understand its parent company, Divergent Technologies. Unlike traditional automakers, Divergent doesn’t just build cars; it engineers the way they’re built. Divergent has pioneered the use of artificial intelligence and large-scale 3D printing to create incredibly lightweight, strong, and complex structures that would be impossible to manufacture using traditional methods.
My visit to their Southern California facility felt less like a car factory and more like stepping into a sci-fi film. The parent company supplies parts to the Department of Defense, which explains the heightened security and the need for a government-issued ID just to enter the building. Inside, I witnessed something remarkable: a series of massive 3D printers using lasers to fuse powdered aluminum into automotive components that resembled intricate bird bones. It’s a jaw-dropping sight, a clear glimpse into the future of manufacturing.
Lukas Czinger, the young and visionary CEO of both companies, explained that Divergent’s technology reaches “Pareto optimality”—the point where any further weight reduction becomes counterproductive. Imagine a small component needed to support a rear suspension damper. A traditional engineer might design a functional but heavy part. Divergent’s software, however, iterates hundreds of thousands of designs in a fraction of the time, finding the optimal shape that is both incredibly light and structurally sound.
It’s like evolution on fast-forward.
Beyond their military applications, Divergent’s technology is utilized by several high-end automotive OEMs. While only Aston Martin (DBR22 Roadster), Bugatti (Tourbillon), and McLaren (W1) publicly acknowledge their use of Divergent’s 3D-printed parts, the Ferrari F80’s control arms certainly look like suspects.
Under the Carbon Fiber: The 21C VMax Hybrid
Czinger produces two distinct versions of what is essentially the same core vehicle. The standard Czinger 21C is a high-downforce track monster, named for the 21st century. The second version, the 21C VMax, is its wingless, long-tailed sibling. For the inaugural Velocity Tour, a 500-mile road rally through Northern California’s wine country, I was handed the keys to a silver VMax.
Driving the VMax feels less like piloting a traditional car and more like sitting in a jet fighter. The visibility through the canopy-like greenhouse is exceptional, reminding me of the experience I had riding shotgun in an Extra 330LT stunt plane. There’s less than a foot of space between your head and the side glass, offering a commanding view of the road ahead.
However, that excellent visibility comes at the cost of practicality. Getting in and out of the Czinger 21C is a carefully choreographed dance. You sit on the massive carbon-fiber sill, pull your knees up, tuck your feet into the narrow footwell, and slide your head under the roof. It’s a tight squeeze, especially for someone with larger calves or feet.
The reason for the wide sills is simple: 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 is not a plug-in hybrid; instead, a mid-mounted V-8 engine powers the front axle, which utilizes dual motors for precise torque vectoring.
Power Plant and Transmission
The Czinger-designed 2.9-liter twin-turbo V-8 produces 750 horsepower on California’s 91-octane premium fuel. However, when loaded with 100-octane race fuel, that number jumps to 850 horsepower. The engine can also run on ethanol, potentially unlocking even more power, though those figures remain unconfirmed by Czinger.
The gas engine sends its power to the rear wheels via an Xtrac single-clutch automated semi-sequential gearbox. Fans of Pagani will recognize this transmission from the Utopia, but Czinger adds another layer of sophistication by 3D printing the case and using small 48-volt electric motors to execute shifts at lower speeds. This innovation effectively eliminates the “drunken” surging that plagues other automated single-clutch transmissions in urban environments. The twin-barrel actuators work as advertised, making city driving feel almost normal.
Track Time: A Masterclass in Speed
As is customary with high-end hypercars, I was joined by a professional driver, Evan Jacobs, for the first day of the rally. Czinger wanted to ensure the $2.5 million machine didn’t end up in a ditch. Thankfully, Jacobs later assured the team I was no threat and I was allowed to drive solo for the remainder of the trip.
We stopped by Laguna Seca for some parade laps, but even at that pace, non-Czinger employees were not allowed to drive the VMax on the track. Still, I convinced the Skip Barber Racing School staff to let me experience the VMax as a passenger. The visibility was incredible, even at lower speeds, and it was a unique way to experience a track I’ve driven countless times before.
A New Benchmark
The most memorable hot lap I’ve ever experienced was riding shotgun in an Aston Martin Valkyrie LMH race car, feeling the blood drain from my extremities under heavy braking. The Czinger VMax is now second on that list. Even without the VMax’s big-downforce wing and not at full throttle, it was easy to understand how the Czinger 21C achieved the “California Gold Rush.”
Over five days, the 21C set five production car track records at Thunder Hill, Sonoma Raceway, Laguna Seca, Willow Springs, and the Thermal Club, driving from each circuit to the next. Later, Czinger returned to Laguna Seca to reclaim the lap record from the Koenigsegg Jesko Sadair’s Spear, posting a ridiculous 1 minute, 22.30 seconds. That time is faster than the fastest MotoAmerica Superbike lap ever recorded at Laguna Seca, which stands at 1:22.56.
Czinger claims a vehicle weight of approximately 3,600 pounds, remarkably light for a 1,250-horsepower hybrid. To provide context, the Ferrari SF90 Stradale Asseto Fiorano, the highest-performance version of a three-motor V-8 PHEV with 986 horsepower, weighs 3,839 pounds. The new Lamborghini Temerario, also a three-motor, twin-turbo V-8 with less power, tops the scales at 4,185 pounds.
Now’s a good time to mention that the SF90 and Temerario are the quickest gasoline-powered cars MotorTrend has ever tested. If Czinger’s weight claims are accurate, they’ve managed to beat two Italian legends with their first production car. That’s remarkable on its own, but especially noteworthy considering Southern California isn’t exactly Modena, the birthplace of Ferrari and Lamborghini.
On the Road: A Strange but Satisfying Ride
The route for the Velocity Tour consisted of tight, winding back roads—not the pristine asphalt you’d expect for a hypercar rally. There was a lot of following the pack and navigating to lunch and coffee stops. While I was perhaps a bit disappointed at the time, in retrospect, I got exactly what most owners will experience: living with a Czinger.
To my surprise, the VMax behaved mostly like 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. Brace yourself for the attention; everyone on the road, especially males between 16 and 24, will be staring, following, waving, and revving.
Regardless, the Czinger rides much better than I expected. The team deserves applause for not making it overly stiff, and the air conditioning works well. If I have one complaint about the everyday usability of the VMax, it’s the cabin noise. I’m not talking about the sound of the unique V-8, but rather a complete lack of sound deadening. While that’s great for a track-only version like the standard 21C, it’s an annoying oversight on a road car. It becomes especially noticeable after hours behind the wheel. Yes, weight is the enemy of performance, but how much does sound-deadening foam weigh? Twenty pounds? Twenty-five? Google says between 10 and 50 pounds. How about just 10 pounds of the stuff? It would be a massive improvement.
Get to the Good Part: Raw and Unfiltered Power
We finally hit some proper California canyon roads, and I got to open up the Czinger 21C VMax. Just as quickly as my right foot got past the throttle’s kickdown point