Zenvo revealed more information about their next model that’s set to arrive in 2023. The upcoming hypercar will be a clean-sheet design, featuring a new modular carbon-fiber chassis, a new hybrid twin-turbo V12 producing between 1,500-1,800 hp, and a new gearbox, all developed in-house. The first reports about the new Zenvo surfaced last year, although back then, company officials suggested it would use an updated version of the current carbon-fiber tub. A new report suggests that the company developed an all-new carbon-fiber chassis which might also be used in other future models. The chassis is capable supporting of a fully electric powertrain, but the company opted for a hybrid setup as its customers and dealers still want combustion-powered models.
The new V12 engine with two electric
turbochargers will rev up to 10,000 rpm and produce close to 1,200 hp. It will
power the rear wheels through a new eight-speed automatic gearbox but the
potential addition of a front-mounted electric motor could bring
all-wheel-drive capability and increase the combined output to somewhere
between 1,500-1,800 hp. Those figures are well into Bugatti territory, although
Zenvo claims they are more interested in the fun-to-drive factor instead of
chasing numbers. For the same reason, the new hypercar won’t be joining the 300
mph club, nor chasing Guinness World Records.
The new hypercar was presented to
prospective buyers last week at Monterey, but the general public will first lay
eyes on it in 2023. Zenvo plans on building two variants, a road-focused GT and
a lighter track-focused derivative that will remain street-legal. The latter
will be distinguished by the more aggressive aero that will contribute to
significant amounts of downforce, while the company is targeting a weight of
1,250 kg resulting in an impressive power-to-weight figure.
Interestingly, Zenvo has already gathered 30 deposits for the new model. This
number might be low for the likes of Ferrari and Lamborghini, but it represents
a significant achievement for a company that makes less than 5 units per year.
According to Top Gear, Zenvo has only sold 15 cars in the last 15 years.
Zenvo’s current offering, the V8-powered
TSR-S, was introduced in 2018 and remains one of the wildest hypercars money
can buy. However, despite featuring several improvements, it bears a close
resemblance to previous models like the TS1/TSR (2016) and the original ST1
(2009). Thus, a fresh styling approach for the next Zenvo would be more than
welcome after all those years, helping it justify its premium pricing against
the fierce competition from the likes of Koenigsegg and Pagani. As for future
plans, Jens Sverdrup admitted that Zenvo is considering a “junior hypercar” as
a natural step forwards but definitely “not an SUV”. The smaller model is
expected to be fitted with a V8 engine, again built in-house. The CCO revealed
that a big part of Zenvo’s business is the development of engines and
gearboxes. He said that V6 and V8 units will be widely available to the market,
but the flagship V12 will be reserved for Zenvo hypercars.
