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1,250-hp quad-turbo modular engine will be world's most powerful V12

By C.C. Weiss
July 25, 2023
1,250-hp quad-turbo modular engine will be world's most powerful V12
Zenvo and Mahle are working on the world's most powerful V12, which will find itself at the center of an even more powerful hybrid drive
Zenvo and Mahle are working on the world's most powerful V12, which will find itself at the center of an even more powerful hybrid drive
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Zenvo and Mahle are working on the world's most powerful V12, which will find itself at the center of an even more powerful hybrid drive
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Zenvo and Mahle are working on the world's most powerful V12, which will find itself at the center of an even more powerful hybrid drive
The 6.6-liter V12 will combine quad turbocharging and Mahle's Jet Ignition combustion system
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The 6.6-liter V12 will combine quad turbocharging and Mahle's Jet Ignition combustion system
The modular V12 is being designed with smaller V6 and V8 variants in mind
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The modular V12 is being designed with smaller V6 and V8 variants in mind
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Zenvo Automotive is already known for building some of the world's most exotic, powerful hypercars, and it's about to step its game up to the next level. The Danish performance carmaker is teaming with powertrain specialist Mahle to create the world's most powerful road-going V12 engine, with sights on topping the current king by over 200 hp. As if that isn't enough muscle for any four wheels, the new 12-cylinder mill will feature in the center of a hybrid drive with over 1,800 hp of combined power, making for one of the world's most powerful cars, period.

Zenvo is preparing to officially leave the STs (and TSs) behind, launching a new halo with an actual name: Aurora. Ahead of a planned August world premiere, it has released some details about the four-figure powertrain on which it's working in partnership with Mahle. The heart of that hybrid drive will be a bespoke 6.6-liter flex-fuel V12 engine, which will rev its way to 9,800 rpm, hitting a 1,250-hp peak at 8,000 hp on the way to redline.

While the main focus of the new quad-turbocharged V12 is power and more power, Zenvo's work with Mahle will help it meet new Euro 7 emissions regulations. The engine will make use of Mahle's Jet Ignition technology to improve the combustion process and boost fuel economy. The new engine will also benefit from lightweight aluminum and carbon fiber construction and the ability to run on cleaner synthetic fuels in meeting both European and US emissions regulations.

The 6.6-liter V12 will combine quad turbocharging and Mahle's Jet Ignition combustion system
The 6.6-liter V12 will combine quad turbocharging and Mahle's Jet Ignition combustion system

To further boost the Aurora's overall fuel efficiency, Zenvo will add a 600-hp electric drive. In addition to a major power boost, the hybridized layout will give the car all-wheel drive traction and "futureproofed environmental credentials." No one will ever confuse a 100-unit seven-figure hypercar with overpowered V12 as an eco-friendly choice, but perhaps the Aurora will be able to do some light commuting on all-electric power to make up for its sheer misuse of energy when doing all-out track laps and high-speed mountain road climbs.

The Aurora will come built atop a modular chassis with carbon monocoque and carbon subframes. The engine is also being developed as a modular unit, foreshadowing the likelihood of additional Zenvo models with V6 and V8 derivatives.

Zenvo will offer the Aurora in both Agil (Agile) track and Tur (Tour) GT variants. It has said previously that the Tur will have a limited top speed clearing 400 km/h (249 mph).

We'll have more details on August 18, when the Aurora will make its world debut at The Quail, part of Monterey Car Week 2023.

Source: Zenvo

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AutomotiveZenvo AutomotiveHypercarHybridMahleSupercar
13 comments
C.C. Weiss
C.C. Weiss
Chris joined the New Atlas team in 2011 and now serves as the automotive and campers editor, traveling extensively to gather the latest news on cars, outdoor sports gear and other innovations designed to help people experience and enjoy the greater world around them.

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13 comments
Ranscapture
Just in time, the motor on my lawnmower was starting to go.
Chase
Meanwhile, Koenigsegg has had production motors putting out more power with two fewer turbos and four fewer cylinders for almost a decade now. I mean, it's cool and all and I can't wait to see what kind of cars they stuff that in, but Christian Von Koenigsegg is a living legend.
Mark T.
The world is literally and figuratively on fire right now. How about a moratorium on developing new fossil fuel-burning engines until we get Climate Change under control?
Old J Hawthorne
Mark T; I kinda feel sorry for you, it's obvious you are so thoroughly brainwashed by the climate hysteria. The Earth's climate has ALWAYS been changing...how do you think the glaciers that covered much of N America formed, and then melted? Change is constant. Another change coming soon, I hope, is to get away from these inherently inefficient 4 cycle internal combustion engines, which are nothing more than modified versions of a steam engine. Geez, let's get our thinking caps washed and start with some real innovation, the ICE has been through all the modifications possible, now we're just repeating, with more cylinders. Wow.
Nelson Hyde Chick
Old J Hawthorne, you are an idiot!
christopher
@Nelson Hyde Chick - easiest way to spot someone who is wrong and ignorant, is to see them hurl insults instead of bother to comprehend the topic.
Old J Hawthorne
@Nelson Hyde Chick, It's so easy to sling an insult, with no explanation or justification...what did I say that isn't valid?
sleekmarlin
No-one is debating that the climate changes. But right now, it is changing at an incredible rate. Besides, I can't get excited about squeezing a few more HP out of a dying technology so that the super-rich can brag about having the most powerful car. Now if Zenvo put its excellent engineering into improving electric engines, that would be exciting.
Seasherm
As long as there are rich people willing to pay for this sort of thing, they will be built. Fewer and fewer of them, in spite of some comments here, because human action is changing the temperature of the globe. Best case would be no cars, but EV's using electricity generated increasingly from renewable power are one of our minimum commitments for climate change action.
ScienceFan
Old J Hawthorne, saying the climate has always been changing when because of human activities (burning too much fossil fuel being one of them) we accelerate that change, is like saying people have always been crashing cars so why all the hysteria about drunk driving? It is because of a lack of appreciation or lack of ability to understand rational thinking, commonly referred to as science, though for some republicans that is a leftist idea, and why would you have to think when you know it all already? Yes there have been ice ages and there will be ice ages in the future. There have been warmer periods and there will be warmer periods in the future. But why the reckless continuation of something that we know will cause a lot of harm much faster than those natural processes? For decades people like you have been blurting all sorts of irrational arguments or ones that turn out to be not true. Or so unlikely that it would be unwise to not act on that basis. Just about any company including Exxon, Chevron, Saudi Aramco has studied the science and they all acknowledge that we have a problem. But you, the most rational being in the universe knows better. Because you heard it on Fox news or because you 80+ year old senators can't understand it you just think that it is all a leftist hype. Mark is right. And debating it with people that refuse to read the studies, refuse to understand physics, refuse to see things in perspective, refuse to act rationally in the face of a serious threat, seems be a waste of time. So perhaps that is why Mark Nelson kept their comments short. The world will move forward regardless. Good thing is that among younger republicans for who this is more relevant, there is serious concern. And if you are "younger" than that tells a lot about where you sit in the distribution of you ability to appreciate rational thinking versus dogmatic denial of science.
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