Tourbillon
Cornering Kingpin
@Jonathan19 I'm really digging this plus actually the New Rimac Nevera R very much.
OMG! Electric stuffs!
OMG! Electric stuffs!
Zenvo Zenvo Aurora
- Thread starter Jonathan19
- Start date
Zenvo Automotive A/S is a Danish supercar manufacturer located in Præstø on the Danish Island of Zealand. Co-founded in 2007 by Jesper Jensen and Troels Vollertsen, it is known for producing hand-built, high-performance supercars. Their facility in Præstø is where they hand-build each car, with a limited production of only a few vehicles per year. Official website: Zenvo Automotive A/S
Jonathan19
Premium+
The R look 10x better that standard that for sure!@Jonathan19 I'm really digging this plus actually the New Rimac Nevera R very much.
OMG! Electric stuffs!
Let'd not forget that Track Only Rimac coming this year!
Tourbillon
Cornering Kingpin
Jonathan19
Premium+
Go here : https://www.germancarforum.com/threads/rimac-nevera-r.280250/post-1638911Which ones that? I've missed it!
Tourbillon
Cornering Kingpin
Revvd
Meister Mechaniker
Great pictures! Sadly they don't show everything, so I'm left wondering about their cooling setup.
They said there was going to be charge coolers above the engine. I thought that would point to an air-to-air intercooler, due to the space constraints on the Aurora.
But now I see charge cooler manifolds on the side with water line fittings, while the thing on top is probably just an air filter housing. So the question is... with no sidepods and the front-end already occupied by the main radiator, where do they put the IC heat exchangers?
- Option one is to redesign the rear fenders to house them.
- Option two is to move them to front fenders. And you can see on the renders that this exact area has been reworked compared to the rolling mockups. But this would kind of defeat the whole concept of the car.
- Option three is to stuff them above the engine, as they originally stated, and add fans and hot air outlets to the side of the engine cover. The space is limited, but the way the roof intake is shaped, and how deep it goes, makes me think this is what's going on. Although it's not conclusive enough, since they could just as well be using the top portion of the roof intake for general engine bay cooling.
Either way, I'm looking forward to see more!
Jonathan19
Premium+
Great pictures! Sadly they don't show everything, so I'm left wondering about their cooling setup.
They said there was going to be charge coolers above the engine. I thought that would point to an air-to-air intercooler, due to the space constraints on the Aurora.
But now I see charge cooler manifolds on the side with water line fittings, while the thing on top is probably just an air filter housing. So the question is... with no sidepods and the front-end already occupied by the main radiator, where do they put the IC heat exchangers?
- Option one is to redesign the rear fenders to house them.
- Option two is to move them to front fenders. And you can see on the renders that this exact area has been reworked compared to the rolling mockups. But this would kind of defeat the whole concept of the car.
- Option three is to stuff them above the engine, as they originally stated, and add fans and hot air outlets to the side of the engine cover. The space is limited, but the way the roof intake is shaped, and how deep it goes, makes me think this is what's going on. Although it's not conclusive enough, since they could just as well be using the top portion of the roof intake for general engine bay cooling.
Either way, I'm looking forward to see more!
You are always here to show us all details!
Thanks for all!
Tourbillon
Cornering Kingpin
All I know is it'll be fast as f#ck!
Jonathan19
Premium+
Aurora development programme gathering momentum at Zenvo Automotive
With the engineering team led by Jon Gunner, in his role as Chief Technical Officer, a major expansion of the engineering team includes several key positions have now been added, including Jorge Uhalte-Nogués as Homologation Director, formally from Bentley and McLaren, and Javier Castane as Chief Engineer, previously at Aston Martin and JLR. These important roles have seen a new engineering office opened in neighboring Sweden, helping drive the development of the Aurora project forward, alongside the main factory activities in Præstø, Denmark. Component design, powertrain and overall vehicle packaging have evolved significantly, while detailed crash testing and aerodynamics simulations have helped to further hone the final designs for the two models.
“The Aurora project continues to gather pace, and continue to add some fantastic talent that is required to deliver the expanded in-house development of key systems behind-the-scenes, as we drive the development forwards,” explains Jon Gunner, Chief Technical Officer, Zenvo Automotive. “This strengthening of the team, now across two sites with the opening of our second engineering office in Sweden, is a credit to the programme as well as the brand we are building, and will be a huge benefit to the final outcome as we continue to maximise the engagement of both the Agil and Tur. The 2025 calendar is already extremely busy, and we have a number of significant milestones scheduled in, which will be a challenge, but we are all focused on delivering the absolute best at every stage. I have absolute belief in this team that we will more than exceed expectation.”
Chief Designer, Christian Brandt, added, “the Aurora designs have continued to evolve as the programme has progressed. Working closely with the engineering team, we are committed to ensuring the Aurora will deliver the ultimate experience for the driver – visually and dynamically. The initial design showed a clear design direction, and we are now honing the final look and aesthetic of both the Agil and Tur models, so performance is optimised, but nothing is diluted from the original dramatic vision we had when the covers first came off. It has been important to ensure that both models continue to encapsulate classic Danish design philosophies, using the latest technology and interpretations, but not to the detriment of performance and driver engagement.”
The teams are already working towards a busy 2025 calendar, which will be kickstarted with the planned first start-up of the bespoke powerplant, being developed in conjunction with MAHLE Powertrain. Engineering focus on the Mjølner V12 powerplant has continued, with the main aim to ensure driver engagement. The 6.6-litre quad-turbocharged unit will be the most powerful and technologically advanced V12 engine ever built. From this milestone moment, the powertrain will undergo further real-world testing, with a first prototype vehicle debuting dynamically at the 2025 edition of the Goodwood Festival of Speed. In parallel to this, the project will continue its journey, with cars being shown globally, which will include a return to the United States, throughout Europe and the UK, as well as once again being active at Monterey Car Week.
“It has been a busy year for Zenvo, and we have grown significantly over this past 12 months,” explains Jens Sverdrup, Chairman and Chief Commercial Officer. “We have been building a strong foundation – for the wider business and for the Aurora project – and 2025 is gearing up to continue at great pace. We are as committed as ever to delivering the bold project that we initially set out to build, working with the best in terms of in-house talent, as well as a carefully curated list of technical and commercial partners who share the vision for Aurora, and beyond.”
- Further strengthening of the core engineering team, with several important new roles now filled
- Vehicle development continuing at pace, ahead of first engine start up and dynamic testing in early 2025
- 2025 development programme will see dynamic debut at Goodwood Festival of Speed, among several global public activities
With the engineering team led by Jon Gunner, in his role as Chief Technical Officer, a major expansion of the engineering team includes several key positions have now been added, including Jorge Uhalte-Nogués as Homologation Director, formally from Bentley and McLaren, and Javier Castane as Chief Engineer, previously at Aston Martin and JLR. These important roles have seen a new engineering office opened in neighboring Sweden, helping drive the development of the Aurora project forward, alongside the main factory activities in Præstø, Denmark. Component design, powertrain and overall vehicle packaging have evolved significantly, while detailed crash testing and aerodynamics simulations have helped to further hone the final designs for the two models.
“The Aurora project continues to gather pace, and continue to add some fantastic talent that is required to deliver the expanded in-house development of key systems behind-the-scenes, as we drive the development forwards,” explains Jon Gunner, Chief Technical Officer, Zenvo Automotive. “This strengthening of the team, now across two sites with the opening of our second engineering office in Sweden, is a credit to the programme as well as the brand we are building, and will be a huge benefit to the final outcome as we continue to maximise the engagement of both the Agil and Tur. The 2025 calendar is already extremely busy, and we have a number of significant milestones scheduled in, which will be a challenge, but we are all focused on delivering the absolute best at every stage. I have absolute belief in this team that we will more than exceed expectation.”
Chief Designer, Christian Brandt, added, “the Aurora designs have continued to evolve as the programme has progressed. Working closely with the engineering team, we are committed to ensuring the Aurora will deliver the ultimate experience for the driver – visually and dynamically. The initial design showed a clear design direction, and we are now honing the final look and aesthetic of both the Agil and Tur models, so performance is optimised, but nothing is diluted from the original dramatic vision we had when the covers first came off. It has been important to ensure that both models continue to encapsulate classic Danish design philosophies, using the latest technology and interpretations, but not to the detriment of performance and driver engagement.”
The teams are already working towards a busy 2025 calendar, which will be kickstarted with the planned first start-up of the bespoke powerplant, being developed in conjunction with MAHLE Powertrain. Engineering focus on the Mjølner V12 powerplant has continued, with the main aim to ensure driver engagement. The 6.6-litre quad-turbocharged unit will be the most powerful and technologically advanced V12 engine ever built. From this milestone moment, the powertrain will undergo further real-world testing, with a first prototype vehicle debuting dynamically at the 2025 edition of the Goodwood Festival of Speed. In parallel to this, the project will continue its journey, with cars being shown globally, which will include a return to the United States, throughout Europe and the UK, as well as once again being active at Monterey Car Week.
“It has been a busy year for Zenvo, and we have grown significantly over this past 12 months,” explains Jens Sverdrup, Chairman and Chief Commercial Officer. “We have been building a strong foundation – for the wider business and for the Aurora project – and 2025 is gearing up to continue at great pace. We are as committed as ever to delivering the bold project that we initially set out to build, working with the best in terms of in-house talent, as well as a carefully curated list of technical and commercial partners who share the vision for Aurora, and beyond.”
Revvd
Meister Mechaniker
First month as Zenvo CTO - Jon Gunner
2024-10-03
2024-10-03
A new adventure begins:
As some of you may have seen, I began a new adventure a month or so ago, joining Zenvo Automotive as CTO.
Anyone who’s stepped into such a role, diving into a live program, likely knows the challenge and those who don’t, I thought I’d jot down some reflections as I progress into the task!
Zenvo is an amazing ultra-small hypercar manufacturer that has been on my radar for many years. Having spent 11 years at Koenigsegg, they were our closest hypercar neighbour. They approached me a while ago to come and lead the development of an all-new hypercar platform - the Aurora - with two launch models; the Agil, a high downforce track focussed road legal machine, and the Tur, the grand tourer hypercar, sleeker and slippery with high Vmax as focus. Both cars are set to deliver a true driver-focused dynamic.
My journey started at the Zenvo Goodwood FoS stand, where my role was officially announced. What an amazing first impression - the genuine enthusiasm and excitement for the cars from an array of client and public visitors was thrilling to see! A great start!
Then a couple of weeks with the family before starting on site in the picturesque HQ town of Præstø in Denmark, a 2.5-hour drive south from my farm in southern Sweden.
Assessing the program’s status:
Walking into a program that’s been live for almost two years comes with its own unique challenges. Here’s how I broke it down during my first month:
Connecting targets to reality:
I needed to quickly figure out the status of the program - system by system, from gap to target - what targets do we have and what was the basis of setting them? Compliance status - are we on track to fulfil all defined market requirements.
Looking at budget strategy. How is the budget defined - is it mature, realistic and does it support the business plan? This is a complex task and requires the ability to set your sights towards future models and the long-term roadmap strategy - something I love!
Designing the plane as we fly it:
I had to look at the big-picture technical status of the whole vehicle across all variants - while also looking back at the historical roadmap and market sales strategy.
As you can expect, this was a major data dump, happening while the program was moving at light speed. I needed to assess, review, redefine and react to immediate issues on the fly, which was intimidating and exhilarating at the same time!
Building internal competence and silo-busting:
With a small team (<10 Engineers), a fair bit of personnel churn and significant outsourcing to partners, I quickly decided that for long-term success, Zenvo needed to build internal expertise and take over key areas of development. We needed to be in control of our destiny and DNA. The team had done great work, but many aspects were siloed due to overlaps and gaps in responsibility.
Next, I addressed the technical review - ensuring it starts on an architectural level early in the program, with higher fidelity developments weaved around this foundation. Priority needed to be based on key hard points including vision zones, lamp placements, occupant safety criteria including R point, ergonomic package, key system definition and location etc.
Making tough decisions, fast:
The gap analysis highlighted several concerns…No time to look back, just dig in, make clear decisions that allow for the open issues to be closed and the team and partners to progress in unison.
Difficult decisions had to be made. Too many to list here. But for starters, looking at the specifications - there was no luggage volume for either vehicle. And then figuring out, how much space? And where? We had to redesign cooling system, change styling and make tough calls on key attributes such as PHEV ( vs. HEV). Collaborating with partners including MAHLE Powertrain and Aerotak, we redefined key components to ensure the vehicles would meet performance and compliance standards. Those of you who have been in this situation will sympathise with the chicken and egg scenario you get swirled into. But as CTO, you can’t get trapped in this daily firefighting. As I got to grips with the overall program direction, I needed to lift my gaze and figure out what to focus on for the business to be successful in 10 years.
Building for the future:
Zenvo has ambitious plans for future models and powertrains over the next decade. My focus is to ensure we can deliver those plans effectively and profitably, starting with the need for a new facility capable of handling higher production volumes. This also needs to account for the recruitment challenges of being based in rural Denmark and a clear Make vs Buy strategy.
I’ve always loved being involved in this micro vs macro strategy aspect of emerging companies. It’s like seeing the birth of a star and having a helping hand with the delivery!
Once the current fires are extinguished, my attention will shift to the vehicle roadmap. But for now, all focus is on ensuring these first models are ready for delivery — on time, on spec, and on budget. It’s been a busy first four weeks, but I’m pleased with the progress!
Next month, we’ll transition from CAD to real hardware - that’s where the fun really starts! Throughout my career, and to this day, I still get goosebumps when I see the virtual 2D/3D transform into something physical. It’s an amazing feeling that I hope all engineers get to feel! More updates next month, back to the grind!
Jonathan19
Premium+
"Ready for assembly.
The beauty of Aurora goes beneath the flowing bodywork, with each carefully designed component of the quad-turbocharged 'Mjølner' V12 engine.
Not long to wait until we will hear it come to life. Are you as eager to hear it as we are?"
The beauty of Aurora goes beneath the flowing bodywork, with each carefully designed component of the quad-turbocharged 'Mjølner' V12 engine.
Not long to wait until we will hear it come to life. Are you as eager to hear it as we are?"
Tourbillon
Cornering Kingpin
This car is very seriously special. We'll see if they deliver."Ready for assembly.
The beauty of Aurora goes beneath the flowing bodywork, with each carefully designed component of the quad-turbocharged 'Mjølner' V12 engine.
Not long to wait until we will hear it come to life. Are you as eager to hear it as we are?"
Jonathan19
Premium+
We will hear the engine for the first time in February!
Tourbillon
Cornering Kingpin
Oui Monsieur just in time for Valentines Day!
Jonathan19
Premium+
"Building the anticipation and excitement. Igniting the passion. Stirring emotion within.
Mjølner is the beating heart of Aurora, and will take your breath away this Valentine's Day"
Mjølner is the beating heart of Aurora, and will take your breath away this Valentine's Day"
Jonathan19
Premium+
"The Aurora will be greater than the sum of its individual parts, with every one of these parts carefully and painstakingly designed to be its absolute best. Attention to detail is at the core of everything we do.
You may never see the heart of its V12 quad turbo engine, generating up to 1,250bhp, but every component is art in its own right. Creating the most beautiful car from the inside out."
You may never see the heart of its V12 quad turbo engine, generating up to 1,250bhp, but every component is art in its own right. Creating the most beautiful car from the inside out."
Jonathan19
Premium+
Zenvo Automotive gears up development programme with Ricardo
Headquartered in Shoreham-by-Sea, England, Ricardo holds extensive experience of delivering high performance gearboxes and transmissions for some of the world’s highest performing super and hypercars. The combination of this expertise will be crucial in delivering the most engaging driving experiences, at any speed, on both road and circuit.
“Ricardo has been integral to the performance of some of the world’s most high performing and exciting cars in recent years. They understand exactly what it takes to deliver engineering precision and driver engagement,” explains Jon Gunner, Zenvo Automotive, Chief Technical Officer. “The Aurora programme gains momentum each week, and is now entering a critical phase. Bringing Ricardo on board as a technical partner is a major milestone as we continue to push the envelope of performance. From here, we will continue to challenge convention as the development programme gears up, ahead of first engine fire up.”
Delivering power through both a four-wheel-drive or rear-wheel-drive setup, the Aurora transmission will be a key integrated component, mated to the bespoke 6.6-litre quad turbo V12 ‘Mjølner’ power unit. The seven-speed hybridised system will seamlessly work to deliver up to 1,850bhp and 1,500Nm of torque.
“We are delighted to have been named as transmission partner for the Zenvo Aurora programme,” adds Richard Guest, Ricardo, Managing Director – Performance Products. “Like Zenvo Automotive, Ricardo takes a no compromise approach to delivering performance for our clients and so we are thrilled to be able to bring Ricardo’s extensive experience in transmission and driveline innovation to this programme. We look forward to supporting in the development of Zenvo’s lightest and most powerful road car yet.”
- Transmission experts, Ricardo, confirmed as Aurora programme partner
- Seven-speed hybridised gearbox will work across the two- and four-wheel drive systems, and help deliver up to 1,850bhp
- Milestone announcement as development programme accelerates towards first dynamic prototypes
Headquartered in Shoreham-by-Sea, England, Ricardo holds extensive experience of delivering high performance gearboxes and transmissions for some of the world’s highest performing super and hypercars. The combination of this expertise will be crucial in delivering the most engaging driving experiences, at any speed, on both road and circuit.
“Ricardo has been integral to the performance of some of the world’s most high performing and exciting cars in recent years. They understand exactly what it takes to deliver engineering precision and driver engagement,” explains Jon Gunner, Zenvo Automotive, Chief Technical Officer. “The Aurora programme gains momentum each week, and is now entering a critical phase. Bringing Ricardo on board as a technical partner is a major milestone as we continue to push the envelope of performance. From here, we will continue to challenge convention as the development programme gears up, ahead of first engine fire up.”
Delivering power through both a four-wheel-drive or rear-wheel-drive setup, the Aurora transmission will be a key integrated component, mated to the bespoke 6.6-litre quad turbo V12 ‘Mjølner’ power unit. The seven-speed hybridised system will seamlessly work to deliver up to 1,850bhp and 1,500Nm of torque.
“We are delighted to have been named as transmission partner for the Zenvo Aurora programme,” adds Richard Guest, Ricardo, Managing Director – Performance Products. “Like Zenvo Automotive, Ricardo takes a no compromise approach to delivering performance for our clients and so we are thrilled to be able to bring Ricardo’s extensive experience in transmission and driveline innovation to this programme. We look forward to supporting in the development of Zenvo’s lightest and most powerful road car yet.”
Revvd
Meister Mechaniker
Very vague public statement. I would like to know what happened to Zenvo's own transmission design. Did it not meet expectations? Is Ricardo improving it or doing a total redesign?Zenvo Automotive gears up development programme with Ricardo
Denmark, 24 February 2025: The development of Aurora continues at pace for Zenvo Automotive, with confirmation of Ricardo as transmission partner for the programme. The gearbox specialists will work in conjunction with the Zenvo engineering team to bring the Aurora model to life, with the first prototypes scheduled to run later this spring.
- Transmission experts, Ricardo, confirmed as Aurora programme partner
- Seven-speed hybridised gearbox will work across the two- and four-wheel drive systems, and help deliver up to 1,850bhp
- Milestone announcement as development programme accelerates towards first dynamic prototypes
Headquartered in Shoreham-by-Sea, England, Ricardo holds extensive experience of delivering high performance gearboxes and transmissions for some of the world’s highest performing super and hypercars. The combination of this expertise will be crucial in delivering the most engaging driving experiences, at any speed, on both road and circuit.
“Ricardo has been integral to the performance of some of the world’s most high performing and exciting cars in recent years. They understand exactly what it takes to deliver engineering precision and driver engagement,” explains Jon Gunner, Zenvo Automotive, Chief Technical Officer. “The Aurora programme gains momentum each week, and is now entering a critical phase. Bringing Ricardo on board as a technical partner is a major milestone as we continue to push the envelope of performance. From here, we will continue to challenge convention as the development programme gears up, ahead of first engine fire up.”
Delivering power through both a four-wheel-drive or rear-wheel-drive setup, the Aurora transmission will be a key integrated component, mated to the bespoke 6.6-litre quad turbo V12 ‘Mjølner’ power unit. The seven-speed hybridised system will seamlessly work to deliver up to 1,850bhp and 1,500Nm of torque.
“We are delighted to have been named as transmission partner for the Zenvo Aurora programme,” adds Richard Guest, Ricardo, Managing Director – Performance Products. “Like Zenvo Automotive, Ricardo takes a no compromise approach to delivering performance for our clients and so we are thrilled to be able to bring Ricardo’s extensive experience in transmission and driveline innovation to this programme. We look forward to supporting in the development of Zenvo’s lightest and most powerful road car yet.”
