Zenvo Automotive has marked a major milestone at this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed, revealing the first running prototype of its upcoming Aurora hypercar — and firing up its all-new, quad-turbocharged V12 engine for the first time in public.
Dubbed Mjølner, the 6.6-litre V12 powertrain took centre stage at the famous Hillclimb, with the car – codenamed VP0 – wearing a striking camouflage wrap but showcasing final production bodywork for the Aurora Tur, the more classically styled of the two variants.
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Zenvo Chairman Jens Sverdrup joined the Duke of Richmond for the ceremonial first start of the engine, before Chief Engineer Javier Castrane drove the prototype past Goodwood House. The Aurora will remain on display in the Supercar Paddock throughout the weekend, with more runs scheduled.
“This was more than simply the first public showing of the car, but a major moment in the overall development programme,” said Sverdrup. “VP0 is not only the first running prototype of the Aurora project, but for Zenvo during this latest phase of the company.”
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Since previewing Aurora in 2023, Zenvo says it has designed the car from the ground up, including the bespoke powertrain developed in partnership with MAHLE Powertrain. The UK-based firm has supported calibration and engineering both domestically and at Zenvo’s HQ in Denmark.
“As the Festival of Speed is the beating heart of the automotive calendar, the powertrain is the beating heart of the Aurora,” said MAHLE’s John Hollingworth. “We’re immensely proud to unveil the Mjølner V12 engine in this setting.”
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The car is underpinned by Zenvo’s new ZM1 modular carbon monocoque, engineered in collaboration with Managing Composites. CEO Lluc Marti called the project “a clean-sheet challenge” that pushed the limits of structural design.
The Zenvo Aurora is scheduled for full production, with further details expected later this year.
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