NILU V-12 Hypercar Is Nod To The Purists, Makes 1,000 hp

by Carl Malek | August 7, 2024

The current crop of hypercar models is an impressive field of entries but what if you’re a buyer who craves a model that takes them back to a time when style and outright displacement were the proverbial building blocks for a performance beast? A small company called Nilu27 might have the solution with the all-new Nilu V12 hypercar.

Nilu27’s Nilu hypercar pitches futurisim and is instead a rolling homage to performance cars of the past.

Hypercars are an interesting breed of automobile with these dream machines blending high horsepower and style with a one-of-a-kind footprint. But what if you want something that can deliver the performance part of the equation but in a package that’s noticeably different from other models? The folks at Nilu27 might have the thing with their all-new Nilu V12 hypercar.

The Nilu is a nod to the purists and the company is hoping that the car can carve a slice of the sales pie in a segment that has become dominated by established benchmark brands and EVs from upcomers.

Nilu27 has pedigree

A naturally aspirated V-12 provides the muscle for the sleek two-door and the company says it makes “more than” 1,000 hp.

At first glance, Nilu27 sounds like something you would find on the cover of a techno album or some obscure NFT. But look past the odd name and you’ll see there’s a strong foundation of experience and talent that underpins the company. The company was founded by Sasha Selipanov a designer who spent time working for both Bugatti and Koenigsegg. As a result, the Nilu’s design is bold and stylish with the clean-looking front end being complimented by large air intakes and sender c-shaped lighting elements that wrap around the outer edges. The rear of the car provides a good view of the 6.5 liter naturally aspirated V12 but unlike other engines that have their throttle bodies inside the “V”, this one puts them on the outside with the exhaust gases exiting out of the top in a “hot V” formation. The novel exhaust system was designed by Inconel and its wild shape was made via the use of advanced 3D Printing technology. Nilu27 didn’t release official horsepower numbers but the company says the engine will make “more-than” 1,000 hp.

The car also gets gullwing doors and a lightweight carbon fiber monocoque tub that helps cut down on weight with the large white-hued 20 and 21-inch staggered wheels and their Michelin-sourced rubber providing the perfect cherry on top for this bold visual exercise. The exterior styling as a whole is reminiscent of 1990s-era supercars like the McLaren F1 but it remains to be seen if the Nilu’s wild looks will be appreciated by potential buyers.

Nilu is all about the driver

The interior pitches techno-wizardry and gimmicks for a back-to-basics approach that’s all about providing maximum amounts of feedback.

Slip inside the Nilu and you’ll find that the cabin does not come loaded with much of the technology and features that we often take for granted. Instead, the space has room for two passengers and does not have a formal infotainment system with the only screen being used to help provide a rear view mirror to improve visibility. The seats themselves are fixed into place and the pedal box, door mirrors, and headrests are all adjustable via billet-machined levers and switches.

However, the distinctive styling element of the whole cabin is the gated manual transmission with all Nilus getting a seven-speed unit sourced by CIMA. The shifter is a pole-style unit with an integrated lockout feature preventing the driver from mistakenly shifting into reverse when rowing through the gears. Niulu claims that the interior is all about providing occupants with feedback and the keep-it-simple formula that the company has applied here should do a good job of delivering plenty of it to them in high-speed turns.

When can I buy one?

Production will initially kick off in the United States before it’s moved overseas.

The Nilu will make its official debut on August 15th at Pebble Beach during Monterey Car Week. Nilu27 says that it plans to build 15 launch-edition models with the company also planning to build a further 54 units that will be “street homologated” which indicates that the first 15 cars will be limited to track use only. “We’ve been delighted and humbled by the reaction to our social media teasers alone,” co-founder and COO Inna Selipanov said in a statement. “While the world is moving towards electrification, and for very good reason, we firmly believe the timelessness of these cars will not only keep them relevant but they will continue to find a place in the collections of passionate car lovers.” The first batch of cars and prototypes will also be built in Irvine, California before production is shifted overseas.