No one can accuse Horacio Pagani—an Argentina-born auto industry veteran with a stint at Lamborghini on his resumé—of a deficit of ambition: Inspired by the work of Leonardo da Vinci, Pagani sought to carve out his own niche in the seemingly impenetrable bespoke hypercar industry.

His objective was to emulate the Renaissance master’s ability to walk the fine line between art and science.

Taking stylistic inspiration from objects in nature as well as automobiles of the past, Pagani set out to build a car that was sensual in form and seductive in performance.

He desired to create a tailor-made exotic automobile that the enthusiast could fall in love with—and one that would stimulate the senses for not only the driver, but also the passenger, and anyone who happened to see it pass by.

Pagani’s first production car, the Zonda, proved to be a massive success, illustrating that with a little luck and a lot of talent, it was possible for a new manufacturer to compete with the supercar est...