Summarised by Centrist
A Palmerston North engineering firm has designed and built the high-revving V12 engine that will power one of the world’s most exclusive new hypercars.
Hartley Engines successfully fired up the bespoke 6.5-litre engine for the Nilu hypercar during testing at its Manawatū workshop. Early dyno results have already exceeded the original target of 1070 horsepower, or 798kW.
The naturally aspirated engine has no turbocharging, electrification or hybrid assistance. In plain English, the engine “breathes naturally.” It usually responds more immediately to the accelerator and often sounds better, but produces less power than a turbocharged engine of the same size. It can rev to 11,000rpm and will be paired with a seven-speed manual transmission in the 1200kg Nilu, which is expected to reach a limited top speed of 400km/h.
“This isn’t just an engine; it’s a piece of art that pushes the boundaries of what a naturally aspirated power unit can do,” Hartley Engines chief executive Nelson Hartley said.
Hartley, a former racing driver, is the brother of former Formula One driver and three-time Le Mans winner Brendon Hartley.
Nilu27 founder Sasha Selipanov, a former Bugatti and Koenigsegg designer, travelled to New Zealand to witness the engine’s first firing. He described the car as an answer to the “digital and electric sterility” of the modern automotive industry.
The engine will undergo final calibration in Palmerston North before being shipped to Germany and installed in the first driving prototype.
Just 15 track-only launch editions are planned, followed by 54 street-legal cars. Hartley Engines and Nilu27 are also preparing a joint venture to build road-certified performance engines for other customers, taking top-level New Zealand engineering to the global automotive market.
