What's all this about?
Remember Danish carmaker Zenvo? The ones that did a handful of outrageous supercars? Yeah, well they’ve only gone and revealed another one. On display at the Monterey Car Week in California, the new Aurora is the most powerful car the company has ever produced, and it promises blistering performance, as well as an eye-watering price tag.
I seem to remember Zenvo’s other cars being pretty powerful…
They were. The old TSR had more than 1,100hp, so building an even more potent car is no mean feat. But Zenvo has done it, cramming a 6.6-litre, quad-turbo V12 and an electric motor into the new Aurora and giving it a total of around 1,450hp, assuming you go for the basic version. That’s enough for a 0-62mph time of 2.5 seconds and a top speed of 227mph, but the top-of-the-range model will come with another 400hp, shaving two-tenths from the 0-62mph time and extending the top speed to 280mph.
So this is a hybrid?
It is indeed. Not a polar bear-friendly, tree-hugging hybrid, but a hybrid nonetheless. The mahoosive V12 produces around 1,250hp on its own, while the integrated electric motor adds another 200hp – in the case of the basic Agil model, that is. That power then travels through a seven-speed automatic gearbox to the rear wheels.
However, if you opt for the more powerful Tur model, you get a somewhat more complex system. With another electric motor at the front, the Tur squeezes another 400hp from its powertrain and distributes it between all four wheels, helping it to achieve such ridiculous performance figures.
Crikey. Not planet-friendly then?
Not really. Zenvo says the idea of the electric motors is to fill in for the petrol engine while the turbos are spooling up and to act as a torque-vectoring system, sending power to the front when the rear wheels simply can’t put the power down.
“The overwhelming feedback we received from owners was that everyone loves the throttle response of naturally aspirated engines, and the instant hit of power delivered by electric, but without the heavy weight and range anxiety that comes with batteries,” said Jens Sverdrup, the Zenvo chairman. “Throttle feel and responsiveness were a major focus for the whole team, and a significant amount of work has taken place on the dynamics. This is also the reason why the powertrain features four smaller turbos, rather than the more conventional two. It means they can spool up quicker.”
What's with the two different versions?
In essence, Zenvo wants the Aurora to have two distinct characters, depending on which model you choose. The Agil is designed to be lighter and more track-focussed, with underbody aero and a big rear wing with an air brake, as well as a stripped-out cabin with exposed carbon-fibre components. The whole thing weighs less than 1,300kg, but Zenvo claims the car produces 880kg of downforce at 155mph.
Tur, meanwhile, is the Danish word for ‘touring’ and it’s also the name given to the Aurora that's designed to be more aerodynamically efficient, cutting through the air while also being more stable. With all-wheel drive as standard and a kerb weight of around 1,450kg, it’s more refined thanks to extra soundproofing and more tactile cabin materials, intended to give it more of a road-orientated attitude.
They both look pretty striking...
They do indeed, but it’s immediately apparent which is which. The Tur does without the big wing and feels more like an overgrown, steroidal GT car, while the Agil is clearly designed for track days and the like.
I'm in. When can I have one?
The Aurora models will go into production in Denmark in 2025, with each car hand-built at Zenvo’s headquarters. Just 50 examples of each will be built, and we’re going to stick our necks out here and suggest that if you have to ask how much they’re going to cost, you probably can’t afford it…
James Fossdyke - 16 Aug 2023
