Capricorn 01 Zagato: 900-HP Manual Hypercar with No Hybrid, No Downforce

German outfit, the Capricorn Group, has been the ghost in the machine for some of the wildest rides out there: Bugatti’s Veyron and Chiron beasts, McLaren’s P1 wizardry, even the Porsche 918 Spyder’s guts. And don’t get me started on the 911 GT3 RS’s trick wing or Audi R8’s hidden bones—they’ve got Capricorn’s DNA all over ’em. But after years of playing second fiddle, these low-key engineers are flipping the script. They’ve teamed up with old pals at Zagato—that Italian design dynasty with 106 years of curve-carving cred—for a hypercar that’s equal parts rebel yell and love note to the old days. No hybrids, no massive wings, just raw, analogue joy wrapped in carbon. At £2.5 million a pop, it’s not cheap, but damn if it isn’t my new obsession.

Picture me glued to the reveal pics late last night, scrolling through that sleek profile on my phone. It’s got this hypnotic pull—subtle nods to the Ford GT’s aggressive stance, a Koenigsegg-esque wraparound windscreen, and those flared ’60s racer hips that scream endurance grit. The double-bubble roof? Pure Zagato poetry, their first stab at hypercar lines. It’s like they bottled the soul of a Le Mans legend and poured it into a mid-engine missile. But here’s the kicker: This isn’t about shouting from rooftops. It’s a quiet middle finger to the downforce derby, designed for drivers who crave feel over figures.

Body and Bones: Carbon Everything, Weight Nowhere

Peel back the paint (available in wild finishes like exposed weave or that signature Zagato red), and it’s a feast for the nerds. The whole deal’s built around a motorsport-grade carbon tub—central spine, front and rear subframes, the works. Capricorn’s wizards swear by their weave wizardry, packing smarts that squeeze a 110-liter frunk up front (beat that, 911 owners) while keeping dry weight at a featherlight 1,200 kg. Go full send with optional carbon wheels, and you’re shaving even more. Brakes? Ceramic monsters as standard, ready to claw you down from warp speeds without a whimper.

I keep circling back to that weight figure in my head—it’s lighter than some hot hatches, yet roomy enough for a weekend bag. No wonder it feels like a scalpel: precise, alive, begging for back roads over billboards.

Heart of the Beast: A Supercharged Ford V8 That Roars Old-School

Nestled under a glass engine bay (because why hide the drama?), you’ll find… a Ford V8? Yep, but not your uncle’s Mustang mill. Capricorn’s bored it out to 5.2 liters, crammed in forged everything—crank, rods, pistons—tuned a bespoke ECU, and crowned it with a supercharger for over 900 hp and a wheel-twisting 1,000 Nm (737 lb-ft) of torque. Top end? A claimed 224 mph, with 0-62 mph slipping under three seconds if the rears hold grip.

But the real poetry? It’s breathing through that open-gated five-speed manual—a dog-leg first for that vintage snick-snick. No paddles, no auto-nanny; just you, the lever, and the road’s honest feedback. Analogue gauges stare back—no touchscreens to glitch or date. Toggle switches for lights, vents, the basics. Even drive modes (Comfort for cruising, Sport for spice, Track for unfiltered fury) flick via steering-wheel knobs. It’s like they raided a ’70s racer’s toolbox and called it luxury.

Me? I’d kill for a passenger-seat ride just to hear that supercharger whine build—raw, mechanical, zero electrons meddling. In a sea of silent EVs and turbo whooshes, this V8’s howl is music for the purists.

The Philosophy: Ditching the Hypercar Hype for Driver’s Delight

Capricorn and Zagato aren’t subtle about their beef with the status quo. Zagato’s manifesto? “No need for gaudy wings or aero drama—we tuned for steady, predictable downforce that keeps you planted without the twitchy knife-edge.” No active flaps, no DRS tricks; just passive shaping for stability you can trust at any speed.

Capricorn piles on: “We’re done chasing insane hp arms races or lap-time bragging. That stuff bloats weight with nannies and hybrids.” Ouch—shots fired at the Koenigseggs and Rimacs of the world. Instead, this is a half-German, half-Italian riff on GMA’s T.50: low mass, high engagement, zero bloat. It’s for folks who get that true thrill comes from the seat-of-the-pants, not a stopwatch.

I respect the hell out of that. In an era where hypercars pack 1,500 hp and still feel numb, the 01 Zagato’s like a breath of fresh alpine air—analog, approachable (relatively), and utterly addictive.

The Catch: 19 Units, £2.5M, and a Side of Ambition

Only 19 coupes will ever breathe—each hand-built in Germany, priced north of £2.5 million (plus the taxman’s cut). But Capricorn’s eyeing bigger ponds: They can crank 100-200 units a year for the right partner. Got a wild sketch and deep pockets? They’re your HWA or MAT whisperer—turning dreams into drivable art, as long as it skips the excess.

It’s a bold pivot for a behind-the-scenes crew, but if the 01 Zagato’s any hint, they’ll crush it. My dream garage just got a £2.5M hole—worth every penny for that manual symphony. You in, or still chasing wings?

Those reveal shots? That double-bubble roof’s got me hooked—Zagato magic. Craving more rebel rides? Drop a comment: Manual or bust?