Czinger premiered the latest version of the 21C this week. Inspired by the legendary Lockheed SR-71 "Blackbird" spy plane, the Blackbird Edition hypercar is all-black and shares the aircraft's propensity for record-breaking speed.
The original Czinger 21C debuted in early 2020. It set a lap record of 1 minute, 25.44 seconds at the WeatherTech Laguna Seca Raceway in California, beating the previous record set by the McLaren Senna. That car produced 1,250 horsepower from a twin-turbocharged 2.9-liter flat-plane crank V8 and a pair of electric motors. The Blackbird Edition 21C gets a 100 horsepower bump bringing the total to 1,350, sent to the road via all-wheel drive.
Gallery: Czinger 21C Blackbird
In addition to speed and power, the Czinger 21C Blackbird Edition pays tribute to its spy plane namesake with a stealthy all-black appearance. Painted a bespoke color appropriately named Jet Black, the 21C includes lots of exposed carbon fiber with Blackbird logos that feature a silhouette of the SR-71. Its wheels reflect the sleek shape of the spy plane in their spokes. The Blackbird's likeness continues at the rear with a large wing and exhaust ports resembling afterburners.
Inside, the cabin continues the Blackbird theme, starting with the black interior. The orange trim and seat inserts resemble the glow of an afterburner. Even the view from behind the wheel looks very similar to the one in the SR-71 spy plane, reinforced by the low-slung tandem seating arrangement.
On March 6, 1990, the SR-71 set multiple speed records on a flight from Los Angeles, California, to Washington, D.C. It crossed the continental United States in 64 minutes and 20 seconds, covering 2,299.7 miles with an average speed of 2,144.8 miles per hour. Similarly, the Czinger 21C set multiple lap records at race tracks around the US. In addition to Laguna Seca, it set a lap record at the Circuit of the Americas of 2 minutes and 11.33 seconds.
Earlier this year, Czinger released a V Max version of the 21C ahead of the Goodwood Festival of Speed. Painted a vibrant orange hue called Golden State of Mind, the V Max is a striking contrast to the Blackbird 21C but no less potent. Both hypercars share the same 1,350 horsepower version of the hybrid V8 powertrain.
