► Nilu27 founded by ex-Koenigsegg, Bugatti designer
► V12 hypercar is manual with analogue controls
► The antithesis of 21st century automotive trends
Sasha Selipanov – an automotive designer who’s worked on cars like the Koenigsegg Gemera and CC850 as well as Bugatti’s Chiron and Vision Gran Turismo – has branched out on his own. Nilu27 is a new automotive brand, and this V12 hypercar is the first ground-up creation that’ll make its public debut during the 2024 Monterey Car Week.
Straight off the bat, the Nilu27 is described as a car that seemingly says ‘f*** you’ to various trends in the automotive landscape in the 21st century like electrification, driver assistance and digital tech. Selipanov says the Nilu27 hypercar is one that ‘discards current trends and conventions in the pursuit of an elevated automotive experience.’
The bodywork is inspired by, er… everything, it seems; Le Mans racers, Bauhaus, American muscle cars and… ‘avant garde metal music.’ The result is a clean and hyper-aerodynamic shape that has shades of the Mclaren F1, Koenigsegg Gemera, Lamborghini Countach and Pagani Utopia. Exposed engineering elements, big scoops for air cooling and gullwing doors all feature.
Inside, there’s a traditional two-seat layout (not a single-seater, or three-seat configuration) and a cacophony of manual dials. The Nilu team are keen to make everything as physical as it can be, including ‘cold-touch’ billet-machined switchgear, an open-gate manual transmission and elaborate, analogue driver’s instruments.
Given the whole vibe of the Nilu27 hypercar is purity, the engine is a naturally-aspirated 6.5-litre V12 engineered by Hartley Engines. It’s an 80-degree, hot-vee V12 that includes 12 individual throttle bodies and a 3D-printed, Inconel 12-to-one exhaust header system that’s nicknamed the ‘snake pit.’
‘Make no mistake, this is not an OEM engine from another manufacturer converted to the hot-vee’ says Hartley Engines CEO and founder, Nelson Hartley. ‘This is a bespoke, large bore, short stroke monster. It’s got aggressive cams, aggressive port flow, lightweight components and exotic materials. We want to get a cold sweat every time the V12 starts and revs.’
Carbon ceramic brakes from Brembo are standard, as well as Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R tyres.
And this isn’t just a one-off, it’ll make production. A 15-car launch run is planned, but these won’t be road legal; Nilu27 says it is ‘simultaneously developing a street homologated version,’ which will be limited to 54 units and ‘further evolve the design language.’