These days, Italian automaker Pagani->ke66 has become a household name in supercar lore. It's one of the most recognizable supercar brands in the world, thanks in large part to the success generated by the now-iconic Zonda->ke942.

But that wasn't always the case, especially during the turn of the century when the Zonda was just getting started in turning heads.

Fast forward to this year and it looks like Pagani is going to finally send the Zonda off into retirement. So, it's only appropriate that we pay homage to the supercar that started it all, the prototype model that has come to be known as the Zonda "Nonno".

Serial car spotter, Shmee150, managed to take a close look at the prototype test mule Zonda, nicknamed "Nonno" (that means 'grandfather' in Italian) because of its age (it was one of the first prototye Zondas ever created) and wear and tear (it's logged an incredible 680,000 miles, which is about 1.1 million kilometers)

Talk about getting your investment's worth on one supercar.

Over the years, the Zonda Nonno has evolved, depending on what specifications Pagani was using at that time. In its current state, the supercar mule carries a 7.3-liter V-12 engine that packs 760 horsepower and specified to the details of the Zonda 760.

But with the Zonda's retirement drawing closer and closer, it looks like the Zonda Nonno will finally get the rest it so richly deserves.

Click past the jump to read about the Pagani Zonda

Pagani Zonda

If cars can understand the concepts of curtain calls and standing ovations, the Pagani Zonda ought to be basking in all the roses and adulation its receiving.

Scheduled to be retired before the end of the year, the Zonda has established itself as one of the most iconic supercars in recent history, a testament to the kind of technology and engineering Pagani put into the supercar.

It's received so many variations over the years with the last most recent one being the Zonda Revolucion, which is powered by an improved version of Mercedes AMG’s 6.0-liter V-12 engine. The engine delivers a total of 800 horsepower and peak torque of 538 pound-feet. The engine delivers power through a six-speed automated manual gearbox that changes gears in 20 milliseconds.