Czinger has taken its already outrageous 21C and opened up the cockpit with the new 21C Spyder, an open-top hypercar that promises to lose very little of the performance that makes the coupé so formidable.
The American manufacturer claims its latest creation is the highest-downforce open-top road car yet, while its hybrid powertrain delivers enough performance to put some of the world’s fastest hypercars in the shade.
Czinger 21C Spyder Produces Serious Downforce
Removing the roof has not turned the 21C into a softer cruiser. Czinger says the Spyder generates an enormous 1,482 kg of downforce at 241 km/h (150 mph).
Fit the removable roof panel and that figure increases slightly to 1,500 kg.
The aerodynamic performance is particularly impressive considering buyers still get the experience of driving the car with an open cockpit.
1,250 HP Hybrid Powertrain Delivers 1.9-Second Sprint
Power comes from Czinger’s familiar 2.9-litre twin-turbocharged V8 hybrid setup.
On its own, the combustion engine produces 750 hp (559 kW) when running on regular unleaded petrol. Two electric motors drive the front wheels, while another electric motor is connected to the crankshaft.
Together, the system develops 1,250 hp (932 kW).
Czinger claims the 21C Spyder can launch from rest to 100 km/h (62 mph) in just 1.9 seconds. For some perspective, the Bugatti Mistral requires a claimed 2.5 seconds for the equivalent sprint.
The figures continue the remarkable performance story established by the original 21C, which has already proven itself at venues including Goodwood.
New 3D-Printed Braking Technology
The Spyder also introduces a redesigned braking system manufactured using Czinger’s BioLogic additive manufacturing process.
Similar techniques are already used to produce some of the 21C’s striking suspension components and structural elements.
According to Czinger, the new brake design reduces unsprung mass while increasing stiffness and improving cooling. The company also claims stopping distances have been reduced by 15% compared with the previous 21C braking setup, with brake squeal reduced at the same time.
It is another example of Czinger using advanced 3D printing for functional components rather than simply creating unusual shapes.
Roof Removal Required Almost No Structural Reinforcement
One of the biggest challenges when turning a coupé into a convertible is maintaining structural rigidity, but Czinger had already accounted for an open-top version when developing the 21C.
The carbon fibre monocoque was designed from the outset with the Spyder in mind, meaning substantial additional reinforcement was not necessary when the roof was removed.
Czinger has strengthened the A-pillars to improve rollover protection, but the weight penalty remains remarkably small.
The 21C Spyder weighs just 10 kg more than the 21C High Downforce coupé.
Just 30 Czinger 21C Spyders Will Be Built
Exclusivity is guaranteed, with Czinger planning to produce only 30 examples of the 21C Spyder.
Pricing starts at $2.75 million (approximately R44.50 million), or around £2 million (approximately R43.68 million), although there is unlikely to be such a thing as a standard specification.
Each car will be extensively personalised to suit its owner, meaning final prices could climb considerably depending on the options and bespoke requests involved.
With 1,250 hp (932 kW), tandem seating, huge downforce and one of the more unusual approaches to vehicle manufacturing in the industry, the 21C Spyder is certainly not just a 21C with its roof chopped off.
