Is a Pagani Zonda street legal in the US?

I get asked fairly often about the legality of owning some very rare cars in the United States. One that comes up most often is the Pagani Zonda. The Zonda is a very rare supercar made in Italy that was released in 1999 and built until last year (2011). The car has come in several versions – the C12, C12 S, F, Roadster, Club Sport, R, Cinque, and a few special editions. They have used different versions of a 7.3 liter V12 sourced from Mercedes. Between 200-300 of the cars were produced in total.

The cars are absolutely spectacular. The craftsmanship, the materials, and the design are absolutely phenomenal. They are very usable and have been extremely reliable for most owners.

The answer to the question is really no. You cannot legally drive a Pagani Zonda in the US. There are several (approximately 10) in the US that get driven periodically. Most are here under “Show and Display” titles granted by the EPA and DOT. This permits them to be driven up to 2,500 miles per year. They cannot be sold in the US with a Show and Display title. Recently, a silver C12 was sold out of a collection in the Northeast but it had to be exported after the sale. You can own the cars here but driving them is limited. The only other options would be to get it titled as a self constructed vehicle in California under the SEMA law, drive it on a dealer plate, or swap the VIN from another car. None of those methods are technically legal but those are the methods that have been used. Show and Display is your best bet.

The replacement car is called the Huayra and it is fully legal for sale in the US. It will be available late this year.