FULL – The Young And The Restless Full – Episode Monday, March 10 | YR 3/10/2025

Czinger 21C VMax: A Billionaire’s Future Now (and Why It May Be the End of Automotive Driving) Introduction For years, the name “Czinger” has been whispered in the hallowed halls of automotive engineering and high-performance circles. It represents a radical departure from the established order, a vision of what happens when artificial intelligence, additive manufacturing, and hybrid power collide to create something beyond the realm of conventional supercars. We finally had the chance to immerse ourselves in the world of this Southern California maverick, taking the Czinger 21C VMax on a three-day road rally through the rolling vineyards and challenging terrain of Central and Northern California. The conventional wisdom dictates that every supercar story must lead with a discussion of track performance, 1,250-horsepower figures, and 11/10ths driving dynamics. And make no mistake, the Czinger 21C VMax is certainly capable of delivering that adrenaline rush. However, what we discovered during our journey was something more profound. This is not just a fast car; it’s a paradigm shift. It’s a vehicle that forces you to rethink what is possible in automotive engineering, a machine that challenges the very definition of driving. To truly understand the Czinger 21C VMax, one must first understand the company behind it, Divergent Technologies. This is not a traditional automaker that buys off-the-shelf components and assembles them in a factory. Divergent has built its empire on a revolutionary approach to design and production, using iterative artificial intelligence to generate complex, ultra-lightweight structures that would be impossible to create using conventional methods. This philosophy extends to the Czinger 21C VMax, a car that feels less like a machine built with tools and more like a lifeform evolved in a digital petri dish. Factory Fresh: A Glimpse into the Future Our journey began not at a traditional automotive manufacturing plant, but at the headquarters of Divergent Technologies. Even before entering the facility, the experience was unconventional. We had to present our U.S. passports, a reminder that Divergent’s groundbreaking technology extends far beyond the automotive world. The company is a key supplier to the Department of Defense, providing lightweight, high-strength components for military applications. While we didn’t get to see the most sensitive military projects, we were given a privileged tour of the additive manufacturing facility. Inside, we were met by Lukas Czinger, the young and visionary CEO of both Divergent Technologies and Czinger Motors. What we witnessed was a scene straight out of a science fiction film. Inside one of the massive 3D printers, more than a dozen lasers zapped powdered aluminum, fusing it into intricate lattice structures that resembled avian bones. The scale of the operation was staggering, and the precision of the process was breathtaking. It was a visceral reminder that we were at the cutting edge of manufacturing technology, witnessing the birth of future vehicles in real-time. Lukas explained that Divergent’s engineering philosophy is centered around achieving “Pareto optimal” designs. This is a concept in economics and engineering that refers to a state where a system is operating at its maximum efficiency, where no single variable can be changed without negatively impacting the overall performance. In simpler terms, Divergent uses AI to find the absolute perfect balance of strength, weight, and complexity for every component. The software generates hundreds of thousands of potential designs, each mathematically optimized for specific stress loads and space constraints, until it arrives at the most efficient shape possible. It’s like the evolutionary process on hyperdrive, where the weakest or most complex iterations are discarded, leaving only the most elegant and efficient solutions. This revolutionary approach to design and manufacturing has attracted the attention of some of the world’s most iconic automakers. While Czinger is still a young brand, it has already secured partnerships with automotive OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers) to supply 3D-printed components. Brands like Aston Martin (DBR22 Roadster), Bugatti (Tourbillon), and McLaren (W1) have publicly acknowledged their use of Divergent’s technology. One can’t help but suspect that even Ferrari’s latest F80 employs similar design principles, although the company doesn’t publicly confirm partnerships in the same way. Under the Carbon Fiber: The Heart of the Beast Czinger builds two versions of its flagship hypercar, both sharing the same underlying architecture but catering to different driving experiences. The standard Czinger 21C is a high-downforce, track-focused machine designed to dominate lap times. For the inaugural Velocity Tour, we were handed the keys to the Czinger 21C VMax, a wingless, long-tailed version designed specifically for high-speed road rallying. The moment you open the door, it’s clear this is no ordinary car. The cockpit feels more like the canopy of a jet fighter than a traditional vehicular greenhouse. Czinger proudly markets the interior as being inspired by aircraft, and they are not exaggerating. As someone who has experienced the visceral intensity of riding shotgun in an Extra 330LT stunt plane, I can attest to the striking similarity. Glass sits less than a foot away from both sides of your head, offering unparalleled visibility and an overwhelming sense of connection to the environment outside. However, this aircraft-inspired design comes with its own set of challenges. The sills of the car, which house the battery packs, are exceptionally wide. Getting in and out requires a degree of agility that most drivers don’t possess. You must sit with your legs extended outward onto the massive sill, pull your knees up and contort your body to tuck your feet into the confined footwell, and then slide your head under the low roofline. It’s an intricate dance that feels more like a ritual than a simple act of entering a car. The VMax is a hybrid hypercar, and the batteries are an integral part of its powertrain and weight distribution. Each sill houses a 2.2 kWh battery pack, for a total of 4.4 kWh. Unlike plug-in hybrids, the Czinger 21C VMax relies on a motor powered by the mid-mounted V-8 engine to charge these batteries. This hybrid system provides a unique combination of power delivery and efficiency. The front axle is driven by two motors, each providing 250 horsepower, for a combined electric output of 500 horsepower. The heart of the Czinger 21C VMax is a 2.9-liter twin-turbo V-8 engine, designed and built by Czinger themselves. On standard California 91 octane premium fuel, the engine produces 750 horsepower. However, when fueled with 100 octane race fuel, the horsepower jumps to 850. Czinger also notes that the engine can run on ethanol, which further increases power output, although the specific figures for ethanol operation have not yet been released. We anticipate a roughly 10 percent increase in horsepower when running on ethanol, but we await confirmation from the manufacturer. Power is delivered to the rear wheels via an Xtrac single-clutch automated semi-sequential gearbox. This is similar to the Xtrac seven-speed transmission used in the Pagani Utopia, but Czinger takes the concept a step further. Not only is the transmission case 3D printed using Divergent’s additive manufacturing technology, but they also utilize small 48-volt electric motors to execute shifts more rapidly at lower speeds. This innovation virtually eliminates the drunken, surging feeling that plagues traditional automated single-clutch gearboxes at low speeds. The twin-barrel actuators work as advertised, and pulling into gas stations, restaurants, and hotel parking lots felt remarkably smooth and controlled. Track Time: Riding Shotgun As is customary with high-end hypercars, a pro driver (Evan Jacobs) was assigned to ride shotgun with me during the first day of the rally to ensure I didn’t drive the $2.5 million machine off a cliff. Thankfully, Jacobs later assured the Czinger team that I was a safe driver and that I could drive solo for the rest of the journey. We stopped by Laguna Seca for some parade laps, but unfortunately, non-Czinger employees are not permitted to drive the VMax on racetracks, even at the slow pace of the rally. However, even if you can’t drive, a ride in a Czinger 21C VMax is an unforgettable experience. I scrambled into the bizarre rear seat, prepared for what I expected to be an uncomfortable ride. I was partially correct. The space is extremely confined, and if you have large calves or feet, the back-seat experience will be challenging. My XXL calves were wedged between the carbon-fiber tub and the carbon-fiber seat, and my feet barely fit in the footwell. However, the visibility through the side glass is absolutely incredible. It’s a truly novel way to experience riding around a track, a sensation that surpassed even riding shotgun in an Aston Martin Valkyrie LMH race car, where I could feel the blood pooling in my extremities under braking. The Czinger VMax is now second on my list of most impressive hot laps. Even at less than full throttle and without the big-downforce rear wing, it was easy to understand how the standard Czinger 21C achieved the “California Gold Rush.” This refers to the incredible feat of setting five production car track records at Thunder Hill, Sonoma Raceway, Laguna Seca, Willow Springs, and The Thermal Club in just five days, driving between each track. Czinger later returned to Laguna Seca to not only break their own record but to reclaim the throne from a track-special Koenigsegg Jesko Sadair’s Spear. That lap time, a ridiculous 1