Nilu27 has completed the first firing of the V12 engine developed for its NILU hypercar, with the engine running for the first time on June 17 at Hartley Engines in Palmerston North, New Zealand. Founders Sasha and Inna Selipanov traveled to New Zealand for the test, and the company says initial dyno running has already exceeded the engine’s projected 1,070 hp output while reaching its 11,000 rpm redline.
The naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12 was developed with Hartley Engines and uses an 80-degree bank angle with a hot-V layout, placing the exhaust headers between the cylinder heads to improve packaging and let engine heat escape through the NILU’s exposed rear engine bay. The engine pairs with a seven-speed manual transmission. Simon Waegner, CTO and COO of Nilu27, said the first-attempt run was the smoothest he has seen from a new engine configuration in more than 25 years in the industry and called it “a massive win for our production timeline and performance targets.”
Following further testing and calibration in New Zealand, the engine will ship to Nilu27’s R&D and production facilities in Lahr, Germany, where it will be installed in the company’s first driving prototype. Nilu27 and Hartley Engines are also finalizing a joint venture to design and produce high-performance, road-certified engines for third-party clients, which the companies say follows market demand and inquiries from other automakers.
