General Hospital Wednesday, May 13, 2026 | General Hospital Spoilers

The $2.5 Million Hypercar That Just Might Be Too Much For years, the automotive world has watched Czinger with anticipation, eager to see what the Southern California startup could accomplish with its revolutionary hybrid hypercar. Now, the 21C has arrived, and it’s more than just a car—it’s a statement about the future of automotive manufacturing. Having spent time with this alien-tech marvel, I can attest that it represents a bold vision for what hypercars could become, and quite possibly, the limits of what the human body can handle. Factory Fresh: An Introduction to Divergent Technologies My journey into the world of Czinger began not on a racetrack or a canyon road, but in a factory unlike any other I’d ever visited. The parent company, Divergent Technologies, is a powerhouse in additive manufacturing, leveraging advanced AI to design and produce incredibly lightweight yet durable components. This isn’t just car making; it’s a glimpse into the future of engineering. To gain access to the factory, I needed to show my U.S. passport. This is because Divergent supplies critical parts to the Department of Defense (and its partners). While the military hardware was covered during my visit—one component bore a striking resemblance to a rocket—the primary focus was on the automotive division. Lukas Czinger, the young CEO of both companies, gave me a tour that was nothing short of extraordinary. Standing beside one of the massive 3D printers, watching lasers fuse powdered aluminum into delicate, bird-bone-like structures, felt like witnessing a technological revolution in real-time. Lukas explained that Divergent’s technology targets what he calls the “Pareto optimal,” the theoretical limit where any change—adding or removing a gram—results in a negative outcome. Imagine needing a rear suspension reservoir bracket that fits in a specific space and withstands immense forces. Instead of relying on traditional engineering, they feed those parameters into the AI, which generates hundreds of thousands of designs. The system then selects the lightest, strongest shape—a process akin to evolutionary biology, but accelerated to warp speed. Beyond the defense sector, nine automotive OEMs rely on Divergent for their additive manufacturing needs. While Aston Martin (DBR22 Roadster), Bugatti (Tourbillon), and McLaren (W1) publicly acknowledge this collaboration, the suspicion remains that even Ferrari’s F80 utilizes their control arms. This quiet influence shows that while Czinger builds its own halo hypercar, its manufacturing philosophy is already shaping the automotive landscape. Under the Carbon Fiber: The 21C and VMax Czinger produces two versions of essentially the same car: the high-downforce track beast, the 21C, and the sleek, wingless VMax. For the inaugural Velocity Tour, a 500-mile rally through Northern California’s wine country, I was fortunate enough to pilot a silver VMax. I use the term “piloting” deliberately, as the cabin feels less like a traditional interior and more like a jet cockpit. Czinger often describes the experience as being similar to a fighter jet. While I’ve never piloted a jet, I’ve experienced a ride in an Extra 330LT stunt plane, and the sensation is remarkably similar. Essentially, the glass is less than a foot from both sides of your head, offering an unparalleled sense of immersion. The visibility is stunning, but the process of entry and exit is… challenging. You sit with your legs facing outward on the massive side sill, pull your knees up as you tuck your feet into the footwell, and then maneuver your head under the roof. It’s a ritual that requires commitment, but for those who value exclusivity and performance, it’s a necessary step. A primary reason for the wide sills is the extensive battery integration. The 21C VMax is a hybrid hypercar, with each sill housing 2.2 kWh of battery power for a total of 4.4 kWh. It’s not a plug-in hybrid; the onboard V-8 engine charges the batteries, which then feed a dual-motor front axle. This setup delivers a staggering 500 horsepower to the front wheels. The combustion engine, a Czinger-designed 2.9-liter twin-turbo V-8, produces 750 horsepower on California’s standard 91-octane premium fuel. If you opt for 100-octane race fuel, the horsepower climbs to 850. Czinger also has the capability to run on ethanol, which is expected to boost power even further, though specific figures are yet to be released. The gasoline engine sends its power to the rear wheels through an Xtrac single-clutch automated semi-sequential gearbox. It resembles the Xtrac unit used in the Pagani Utopia but with a twist. Czinger not only 3D prints the transmission housing but also incorporates small 48-volt electric motors to smooth out shifts at lower speeds. This eliminates the characteristic surging or “drunken” feeling that plagues automated single-clutch transmissions. The twin-barrel actuators perform flawlessly in low-speed scenarios, as I was grateful to discover during my drive. Navigating into gas stations, restaurants, and hotel parking lots felt surprisingly civilized. For a car of this magnitude, that is a remarkable achievement. Track Time: A Brief Dance with Velocity For the first leg of the rally, I had a professional driver, Evan Jacobs, riding shotgun—standard practice for high-dollar hypercars like Bugatti and Pagani to ensure the $2.5 million vehicle doesn’t end up in a ditch. Thankfully, Jacobs later confirmed I posed no threat to the car, and I was cleared to drive solo for the remainder of the event. We made a stop at Laguna Seca, but, as is often the case with such exclusive vehicles, non-Czinger employees aren’t permitted on the track, even during the slow pace of the rally. I learned early on that you don’t need to drive to appreciate a car like this. I scrambled into the bizarre rear seat—and for those with large calves or feet, the experience is tight. My XXL calves were wedged between the carbon fiber tub and the seat, and my feet didn’t fit comfortably either. However, the visibility through the side glass is incredible. It reminded me again of that stunt plane and was a genuinely novel way to experience a racetrack, something I’ve done over a thousand times. The true excitement began when Jacobs and I convinced the Skip Barber Racing School staff to allow him to take the VMax out for a few “6/10ths” hot laps. The most impressive ride I’ve ever experienced was in an Aston Martin Valkyrie LMH race car, where I could feel blood pooling in my extremities under hard braking. The Czinger VMax now holds the second spot, and remember, Jacobs didn’t go full throttle. Even at less than maximum effort and without the massive downforce wing of the track-focused 21C, it was easy to understand how the car achieved the “California Gold Rush.” This title refers to the five production car track records it set at Thunder Hill, Sonoma Raceway, Laguna Seca, Willow Springs, and The Thermal Club in five consecutive days—driving between each track without trailering. Czinger later returned to Laguna Seca, beating its own record and reclaiming the throne from the Koenigsegg Jesko Sadair’s Spear. That lap time—a staggering 1 minute, 22.30 seconds—is faster than the fastest MotoAmerica Superbike lap ever recorded at Laguna, which stands at 1:22.56. Czinger claims a curb weight of approximately 3,600 pounds, which is remarkably light for a 1,250-horsepower hybrid. To provide context, the Ferrari SF90 Stradale Asseto Fiorano—the most powerful three-motor, twin-turbo V-8 PHEV currently available, making only 986 horsepower—weighs 3,839 pounds. The new Lamborghini Temerario, another three-motor, twin-turbo V-8 with less power, pushes past the two-ton mark, weighing in at a chunky 4,185 pounds. Now is a good time to highlight that the SF90 and Temerario are the two quickest gasoline-powered cars MotorTrend has ever tested. If Czinger’s weight claim holds true, the unorthodox California startup has managed to outpace two Italian legends with its very first production car. This is remarkable enough on its own, but even more impressive considering that Southern California isn’t exactly a hub for supercar engineering expertise. L.A. is not Modena. On the Road: A Different Kind of Beauty The chosen route for the rally consisted mostly of true back roads: tight, winding, and often poorly maintained pavement—not the kind of asphalt one typically associates with dream hypercar tours. There was also a lot of following the pack, navigating to lunch stops, and staying near the camera car. At the time, I was perhaps a bit disappointed, but in retrospect, I gained a valuable insight into what most owners will experience when living with a Czinger. To my surprise, the VMax was 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 cup holders. And prepare yourself for the fact that almost everyone else on the road—especially males between the ages of 16 and 24—will be looking, following, waving, and revving at you, likely accompanied by friendly obscenities. Despite this attention, the Czinger rides much better than I anticipated;