36It’s been all-quiet on the bonkers NILU hypercar since it was revealed two years ago – but not anymore, because its bespoke 6.5-litre naturally aspirated V12 engine that can rev to an unholy 11,000rpm has screamed into life for the first time. The latest addition to the pantheon of outrageous speed machines was created by designer Sasha Selipanov, whose previous work includes poster-worthy cars such as the Bugatti Chiron, Koenigsegg CC850 and Lamborghini Huracán. He rather confusingly called his hypercar brand Nilu27 however, meaning his first solo creation bears the rather clunky name of Nilu27 NILU. While it isn’t as catchy as Pagani Utopia, the NILU will provide plenty of drama with its radical looks and monstrous V12 engine that’s been developed in collaboration with Hartley Engines from New Zealand. Originally, we were told the V12 would produce 1,055bhp and 860Nm of torque, but the engine apparently exceeded those projections during its very first dyno tests. So even though this V12 doesn’t have any turbochargers, and it’s not going to be mated to any electric motors or a hybrid system of any kind, the NILU will have almost as much power on tap as the Ferrari F80 hypercar. In a car that’s only going to weigh about as much as a Renault Clio. Gulp… This engine also features 12 individual throttle bodies and a hot-V configuration, whereby the exhaust and air intake positions are swapped around to aid packaging and heat extraction from the fully exposed engine bay, allowing all to bask in its V12 glory. With no cover, the NILU is able to have a set of “snakepit” headers that flow into a tri-tip exhaust pipe. Meanwhile the engine is paired with an open-gate, seven-speed manual transmission housed in a ceramic-coated, aluminium-alloy subframe, and sends all that power to the rear wheels only. The team at Hartley Engines said after the V12 first fired up: “To see this bespoke V12 come to life after months of intense development is an indescribable feeling. 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.” The next steps are final calibration and refinement cycles, before the V12 engine gets packed up and sent to Nilu27’s R&D and production facilities in Lahr, Germany. Once there, it will be installed in the company's first driving prototype. 36We’re told the outrageous design takes inspiration from pretty much everything – from classic American muscle cars to modern day drift cars. Underneath is a bespoke carbon fibre monocoque chassis with tubular aluminium-alloy subframes, double wishbone, pushrod suspension and carbon-ceramic brakes sourced from Brembo. Like an Aston Martin Valkyrie, the NILU features gullwing doors that supposedly provide great access to the two-seat cabin. The seats are fixed and there are no controls on the steering wheel, which sits in front of a set of analogue dials. There’s only one display screen inside the NILU, and it’s for the rear view camera/mirror. 15 track-only examples of the NILU hypercar will be produced initially, followed by 54 street-legal versions. Prices will reportedly start in the region of £3 million.
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