This Is The Most Powerful V-12 Ever Fitted To A Road Car — And It’s Even Wilder As A Hybrid

Danish supercar manufacturer Zenvo Automotive has previewed what it claimed to be “the most powerful V12 engine ever fitted to a roadcar” – a 1,850-horsepower 6.6-liter quad-turbocharged hybrid V12 that will power its new, Bugatti Tourbillon-rivaling Aurora hypercar.

Dubbed ‘Mjølner,’ the mid-mounted V-12 and its accompanying four turbochargers, which rev to a ballistic 9,800 RPM, are capable of producing 1,250-horsepower collectively. This total is then pushed to 1,850-horsepower when incorporated with an electric hybrid system, pushing it above the 1,775-horsepower produced by the Bugatti’s 8.3-liter V-16.

Co-developed by Zenvo and British electrified powertrain specialist MAHLE, the newly-designed V-12’s testing and development program will begin soon in preparation for the start of Aurora’s production in early 2026. The V-12 itself will be built at MAHLE’s facility in the UK.

Yes, The V-12 Aurora Will Be Available Worldwide, But Only 100 Of Them

“Developed specifically for the road,” the V-12 is the first of a planned series of engines to be built on a new modular architecture from Zenvo, meaning there’s potential for V-10, V-8 or V-6 alternatives for use in unspecified, “future product lines and models.” Given the Danish automaker’s penchant for high-performance supercars however, like the TS1 and its TSR spin-off, it’s unlikely Zenvo is toying with the idea of a debuting a family sedan or seven-seater SUV.

The ‘Mjølner’ V-12 also features a MAHLE-built jet ignition system, said to have been in development for more than a decade now, which will enable ‘Lambda 1’ operation on the Aurora. Though Zenvo doesn’t offer further details, the company does state that the ignition system acts as a “pre-requisite for future emissions requirements,” enabling the powertrain to be homologated for worldwide use on the road. Granted, only 100 examples will be built.

Did Zenvo Create The Most Powerful V12 Ever By Accident?

Ironically, despite the focus on performance during development, producing “the most powerful V-12 ever” might have been an accident.

“The fact it is the world’s most powerful roadcar engine was not something we set out to achieve, but is a result of us pushing what we know is possible,” Zenvo Automotive chairman Jens Sverdrup explains. “At Zenvo, we are a team of passionate, genuine ‘car guys’, and it is not every day that a V-12 engine is born, so it is very proud moment and very exciting to finally showcase Mjølner.”

Rather than pioneering performance therefore, Zenvo’s main goal behind Mjølner was to produce “an emotional connection” between the V-12 and the driver, hybrid drivetrain or otherwise…

“A key part of the Aurora programme is around delivering an emotional connection for drivers and passengers, designed to stimulate the senses,” Sverdrup continues. “This is a hugely important milestone, and the next step will see – and hear! – it come to life, and it has been designed to deliver at every level, which shows the progress we continue to make.”

Zenvo’s First Brand-New Supercar Since 2008 Arrives In 2026

The V-12 will power the Aurora, the first brand-new car to appear from Zenvo since the ST1 debuted in 2008. Constructed from carbon fiber, with a radical aero package and a dry weight of just under 1,300-kilograms (just over 2,866-pounds), the Aurora will be available from launch in both grand-touring ‘Tur’ and track-focused ‘Agil’ specifications, though presumably Bugatti-rivaling prices have yet to be unveiled. Interestingly, unlike the 1,850-horsepower ‘Tur’ which features an electric motor at both front wheels, the track-focused Agil uses only a 200-horsepower electric motor nestled within its gearbox that produces 400-horsepower less than its GT brethren, but sends 1,450-horsepower to the rear wheels. Both examples will boast a seven-speed paddleshift gearbox built and developed by British specialist Ricardo.

Full performance details have yet to be revealed, although Zenvo is targeting a 2.5-second 0-62 MPH time for the track-focused Agil (not quite on par with the Tourbillon’s claimed “less than two seconds”) and 2.3-seconds for the grand touring Tur. Amazingly, the latter could feasibly hit 186 MPH (200 KM/H) from a standstill in just nine seconds en-route to a 280 MPH top speed.

Zenvo Aurora. Tech Specs (confirmed so far)