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Czinger 21C VMax Review: The Unhinged Future of Automotive Design For years, automotive enthusiasts have debated the fine line between innovation and madness in the pursuit of ultimate performance. Now, Czinger, the Southern California hypercar startup, is forcing us to ask: How much power is too much? Having recently embarked on a demanding three-day road rally in the Czinger 21C VMax, I can attest that this is not just a car; it’s a paradigm shift. While the track prowess of the 21C is undeniable—its claimed lap records at Laguna Seca, Willow Springs, and the Thermal Club speak for themselves—the true test of a hypercar is its demeanor on the public road. Can a 1,250-horsepower hybrid, built with additive manufacturing and cutting-edge AI, navigate the complexities of everyday driving without devolving into a temperamental beast? Spoiler alert: it’s a ride unlike any other. A Glimpse into the Future: Factory and Technology The journey began not at a traditional production facility, but at the headquarters of Divergent Technologies, the parent company of Czinger. Entering this space felt less like visiting a car factory and more like stepping into a secret government facility. My passport was required not for international travel,though that felt appropriate—but because Divergent supplies parts to the U.S. Department of Defense. One overheard comment about a “rocket-shaped part” suggested the scale of these operations, though the most futuristic revelation was witnessing the additive manufacturing process itself. I was given a tour by Lukas Czinger, the dynamic young CEO of both companies, and what I saw was breathtaking. Inside one of the massive 3D printers, I watched lasers fuse powdered aluminum into automotive components that seemed to defy gravity. This process allows engineers to achieve the “Pareto optimal”—a state where adding or removing even a single gram degrades the component’s performance. For example, designing a rear-suspension damper reservoir involves determining the precise volume required to withstand a specific force (Y), given the available space (X). Using AI-driven algorithms, the software iterates through hundreds of thousands of designs to produce the most structurally efficient, lightest shape possible. It’s evolutionary process accelerated to warp speed. Beyond its military applications, Divergent’s technology is utilized by nine automotive OEMs. While Aston Martin (DBR22 Roadster), Bugatti (Tourbillon), and McLaren (W1) are the only ones to publicly confirm using the service, whispers suggest the control arms on the Ferrari F80 might also be a product of this revolutionary process. The implications for lightweight car construction are staggering, potentially ushering in an era where performance is defined by structural perfection rather than sheer displacement. The 21C VMax: A Two-Seater Masterpiece Czinger produces two distinct variants of the 21C architecture: the high-downforce, track-focused 21C and the sleek, wingless long-tail hypercar known as the 21C VMax. For the inaugural Velocity Tour, a 500-mile rally through Central and Northern California’s renowned wine country, I was tasked with piloting a silver VMax. The experience of entering the VMax is unlike any other car on the market. The cabin feels less like a traditional cockpit and more like a fighter jet canopy, with glass situated mere inches from both sides of your head. Czinger claims this environment mirrors that of an extreme-performance jet fighter, and having experienced a ride in an Extra 330LT stunt plane, I can vouch for the unsettling similarity. While the visibility is exceptional, the entry process is arguably one of the most complex in automotive history. You must position your legs outward on the wide sill, bring your knees up, and essentially pivot on your rear end as you tuck your feet into the cockpit, then slide your head under the roof. It’s a unique and dramatic ritual before you can even begin your automotive journey in this exceptional machine. The reason for these enormous sills is the integration of high-density batteries. The 21C VMax is a hybrid hypercar, with each sill housing 2.2 kWh of battery power for a total of 4.4 kWh. Although not a plug-in hybrid, the car is powered by a mid-mounted V-8 engine that perpetually charges the battery pack. These batteries can deliver 500 horsepower to the front axle, which is driven by two individual electric motors, one for each wheel. This layout is essential for its revolutionary torque vectoring system. The combustion engine is a Czinger-designed twin-turbo V-8, displacing a mere 2.9 liters. On California’s premium 91-octane gasoline, it produces a staggering 750 horsepower. However, if you opt for 100-octane race fuel, the engine’s output increases to 850 hp. Czinger is also developing an ethanol-powered engine capable of generating even more power, although those figures have yet to be released—though a 10 percent increase is a strong prediction. Power is delivered to the rear wheels via an Xtrac seven-speed single-clutch automated semi-sequential gearbox. This unit is similar to the transmission used in Pagani’s Utopia, but Czinger has not only 3D printed the gearbox casing but also implemented small 48-volt electric motors to execute shifts at low speeds. This ingenious solution eliminates the lurching and surging behavior common in other automated single-clutch transmissions. At low speeds, the twin-barrel actuators perform exactly as advertised, making the process of navigating parking lots, gas stations, and luxury hotel parking entrances feel almost normal. Seriously, bravo. This is a significant step in the evolution of hypercar drivability. Track Testing: When the VMax Becomes a Weapon What never felt normal during the rally was the presence of the professional driver, Evan Jacobs, who rode shotgun for the first day. As is customary with Bugatti and Pagani, Czinger placed a pro driver in the car to ensure I didn’t accidentally launch the $2.5 million hypercar off a cliff. Thankfully, Jacobs later assured the Czinger team that I was no threat and that I could drive solo for the remainder of the rally. We visited Laguna Seca for a few parade laps, but for reasons unknown, non-Czinger employees are prohibited from driving the VMax on the track, even at the deliberately slow pace required by the rally. However, as I have learned through hard experience, even if you can’t drive, you must experience the ride. I scrambled into the peculiar rear seat, which is positioned directly behind the driver. If you have large calves or feet, the rear-seat experience is challenging. My large calves were wedged between the carbon-fiber tub and the carbon-fiber seat, and my feet were also awkwardly positioned. However, the visibility through the side glass is unparalleled. Again, it evoked the feeling of a stunt plane, providing a novel perspective during a track drive—something I have experienced over a thousand times in my career. This sensation was amplified when Jacobs and I convinced the Skip Barber Racing School staff (whose track day we crashed) to let him take the VMax for a couple of “6/10ths” hot laps. The most mind-bending hot lap I have ever experienced was in an Aston Martin Valkyrie LMH race car, where I felt blood pooling in my extremities during braking. The Czinger VMax has now claimed second place on that list. Remember, Jacobs was not pushing to the absolute limit, and the 21C VMax does not have the massive rear wing of the 21C model. Even at a speed far below the limit, it was easy to grasp how the Czinger 21C achieved what the company calls the “California Gold Rush.” This incredible feat involved setting five production car track records at Thunder Hill, Sonoma Raceway, Laguna Seca, Willow Springs, and the Thermal Club in five days, driving from one track to the next without assistance. Later, Czinger returned to Laguna Seca to not only break its own record but also reclaim the crown from the Koenigsegg Jesko Sadair’s Spear. The lap time—a ridiculous 1 minute, 22.30 seconds—is faster than the fastest MotoAmerica Superbike lap ever recorded at Laguna, which stands at 1:22.56. This demonstrates that the Czinger 21C performance is on a completely different plane, even for this road-biased variant. Czinger claims a vehicle weight of approximately 3,600 pounds, which is remarkably light for a 1,250-hp hybrid. To put this into perspective, the Ferrari SF90 Stradale Assetto Fiorano—the highest-performance version of a three-motor, twin-turbo V-8 PHEV that makes only 986 hp—weighs 3,839 pounds. The new Lamborghini Temerario, another three-motor twin-turbo V-8 (with even less power but providing a direct comparison), exceeds the two-ton mark at 4,185 pounds. Now is a good time to mention that the SF90 and Temerario are the two fastest gasoline-powered cars MotorTrend has ever tested (the Ferrari for 0–60 mph and the Lambo for the quarter mile). If Czinger’s weight claim is accurate, this Southern California startup has managed to outperform two Italian legends in its debut attempt. This is remarkable on its own