Zenvo Aurora Hypercar Thrills at Goodwood With V12 Debut
On the opening day of the Goodwood Festival of Speed, Zenvo Automotive marked two milestones for the Zenvo Aurora hypercar. Spectators heard the quad-turbo Mjølner V12 engine for the first time and watched prototype VP0 charge up the renowned Goodwood hillclimb.
Zenvo’s engineering team maintains rapid momentum, evolving Aurora from a blank-sheet concept into a road-ready hypercar that exceeds performance ambitions.
Draped in striking harlequin camouflage, VP0 revealed the final production bodywork of the classically styled Tur variant. The Duke of Richmond and Zenvo Automotive Chairman Jens Sverdrup ignited the newly developed powertrain before an eager crowd.
Chief Engineer Javier Castrane then piloted Aurora past Goodwood House, and the car will stay on show in the Supercar Paddock throughout the Festival weekend for further demonstration runs.
Jens Sverdrup reflected, “This was more than simply the first public showing of the car, but a major moment in the overall development programme. VP0 is not only the first running prototype of the Aurora project, but also for Zenvo during this latest phase of the company.”
He added, “Since previewing the Aurora project in 2023, we have created something completely new. The company has been strengthened in all areas, both internally and through important technical and retail partners. The whole team has also been working tirelessly to create Aurora – a genuine blank sheet hypercar. We had the overall target and framework set out for what we wanted to achieve, but the route to success was not defined. We have now built and developed something truly unique in the world of modern hypercars, and across the wider automotive industry.”
He continued, “There were some things that simply were not going to work, or which wouldn’t deliver the figures we wanted, so we have taken the big decision to design, build and develop everything from scratch. The engine was one such item, which has been painstakingly developed and refined to meet the performance targets Aurora deserves. With that, today is a hugely important and momentous day for everyone at Zenvo Automotive.”
Throughout the Aurora journey, MAHLE Powertrain has partnered with Zenvo to develop, build and calibrate the V12. John Hollingworth, Sales and Marketing Director at MAHLE Powertrain, noted, “As the Goodwood Festival of Speed is the beating heart of the automotive calendar, the powertrain is the beating heart of the Aurora. Our engineering team has worked relentlessly to develop an awe-inspiring engine and calibration to ensure that the car makes an impact on its dynamic debut. We are immensely proud to work with Zenvo Automotive and excited to show off the Aurora’s revolutionary Mjølner V12 engine for the first time. I would personally like to thank our excellent team of engineers for showing the world our capabilities as a flexible engineering partner for end-to-end, technology-agnostic powertrain solutions.”
The all-new ZM1 modular carbon fibre monocoque, engineered with Managing Composites, maximises strength, safety and packaging without compromise.
Lluc Marti, Chief Executive Officer at Managing Composites, stated, “Collaborating with Zenvo from the earliest concept stages has been a dream project that challenged us to push the limits of composite engineering, and of our own company, resulting in a platform truly worthy of the Aurora’s vision.
“Managing Composites is proud to have engineered and delivered the complete structural development of the Zenvo Aurora, including the carbon fibre monocoque, crash structures, and all exterior body panels. Starting from a clean sheet, our team focused on pushing the boundaries of lightweight construction, performance, safety, and structural integrity, while enabling the extreme packaging and aerodynamic requirements of a modern hypercar. By leveraging advanced composite technologies, typically reserved for Formula 1 and aerospace applications, we have developed a structure that not only meets the rigorous demands of a hypercar but also embodies the rare design freedom and technical ambition of the Aurora project.”
