The million-dollars Spanish supercar of 1950s

Rare ONES That's more likely quirky when viewed from the current context where the car brand subject has defunc. So maybe if someone who hears the Pegaso name would not immediately think of a supercar. It's different when we've hear about the Ferrari, Maserati, Aston Martin, and Alfa Romeo brands.

1954 Pegaso Z-102 Series II Saoutchik Coupé was one of Spanish flying horse could out-run the Ferraris of the era and even the mighty Mercedes 300SL. (Picture from: Wikipedia)

Well, even though it's the Pegaso Z-102 Series II Berlinetta that we're going to talk about today, it's without a doubt one of the most beautiful early supercars ever made. For those of you who have just heard of the Pegaso brand name, it was an in-your-face, unabashed Ferrari challenger, right down to the name; if Ferrari’s horses would prance, then the Spanish horses would fly. 

1954 Pegaso Z-102 Series II Saoutchik Cabriolet was one of Spanish flying horse could out-run the Ferraris of the era and even the mighty Mercedes 300SL. (Picture from: Wikipedia)

So actually Pegaso is created under the Spanish government owned truck manufacturer (ENASA) by using a brilliant engineer brought in for the show which is a bit unusual in itself. This Spanish brand was originally initiated by Wilfredo Ricart, an experienced designer and engineer whose previous associations included working for Alfa Romeo and being one of the numerous rivals of Enzo Ferrari.  

1954 Pegaso Z-102 Series II Saoutchik Coupé is built on a chassis made by Pegaso by using state-of-the-art Superleggera technology, so it can remove a large amount of unnecessary weight and unsightly shape of the chassis. (Picture from: Silodrome)

Ricart’s design for the Pegaso was innovative, interesting, and completely up to the moment, including the use of a four-cam, all-alloy V-8 with dry-sump lubrication and a five-speed rear transaxle, something that would not become a fixture on Ferraris until the 275 GTB of a decade later.

1954 Pegaso Z-102 Series II Saoutchik Coupé was one of Spanish flying horse could out-run the Ferraris of the era and even the mighty Mercedes 300SL. (Picture from: Silodrome)

This berlinetta-styled car is built on a special chassis made by Pegaso in Spain by using state-of-the-art Superleggera technology, so it can remove a large amount of unnecessary weight and unsightly shape of the chassis with a drill the size of your fist. The naked chassis was then shipped to Paris where the artists at Jacques Saoutchik coachbuilder set to work sculpting the interior and exterior to perfection.

1954 Pegaso Z-102 Series II Saoutchik Coupé is powered by an all-alloy V8 with double overhead cams per bank, and four desmodromic valves per cylinder to drive its rear wheels via a 5-speed transaxle. (Picture from: Silodrome)

As qouted of RM Sotheby, there's only 18 chassis which were then produced in 2 series into cars by the renowned French coachbuilder Carrosserie J. Saoutchik of Neuilly-sur-Seine (only seven second-series Saoutchik berlinettas were built). Unlike many chunky and clunky touring cars from the day, the Pegaso used such a killer five-speed transmission, which when paired with the right engine capable to propel this beauty berlinetta to over 160 miles per hour (or approx of 256.495 kph).

There are only rumored to be a handful of these left, and it wouldn't be a stretch to say that this one most exemplifies the beautiful, minute detail of its construction. (Picture from: Silodrome)

Unfortunately the engine attached on the chassis, while spectacular for being completely original for the car isn't the much desirable supercharged 3.2-liter V8 producing 360 horsepower, more than any other outside legal car of the time. We have already discussed on other occasions about two other Pegaso models such as Pegaso Z-102 Cupula and Pegaso Z-102 "Bisiluro" 1A Serie.

The Pegaso flew for the last time in 1958 after approximately 84 chassis had been built, there are only a few reportedly left, and it's no exaggeration to say that this one best exemplifies the exquisite minute detail of its construction, so it's no wonder they are so expensive today. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | THRILLIST | RM SOTHEBY | SILODROME | CLASSIC-ROAD ]

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