Unveiled in 2013 as a concept car, the Devel Sixteen should have been revealed as a production model in 2017, but that never happened, and, moreover, it didn't happend even today, in 2021. At this pace, that hypercar may become the swan song for the IAC-engine, even though that swan never took off.
If it ever reaches production, it promises to perform a pretty loud swan song, as a recent video from its tests in Italy shows. It also pledges that deliveries will start in eight months.
The Devel Sixteen is supposed to have been tested without its quad-turbo system installed. In other words, the massive 12.3-liter V16 should not be producing the 5,007 hp Devel said it would deliver. Devel is the acronym for Defining Extreme Vehicles Car Industry – don’t ask us how. We also can only explain the DEV bit of Devel.
For a car that has already had its production version presented in 2017, it makes us wonder why the company released a video of tests without the quad-turbo system. The video also says that it is the first test of the car. Is it still under development after all these years? We have contacted the company to get answers to these and more questions.
Apart from the noise, the video does not show much more. The car should be running with its V16, but the video fails to show the powerful engine inside the prototype. That would have been a relief for those who have placed an order or want to buy one when it is finally available.
Created by Steve Morris Engines, the V16 was supposed delivered 4,000 hp in 2015, when the company made a video to present its development. In 2017, Steve Morris Engines released the second video on its YouTube channel showing the mill producing 5,007 hp in dyno tests. That seems to be the most recent video posted by the company about its creation.
In 2015, Devel said that the Sixteen would be 5,30 meters (208.7 inches) long, 2,41 m (94.9 in) wide, 1,27 m (50 in) tall, and would have a 3.46 m (136.2 in) wheelbase. It would weigh 2,300 kg (5,071 lb), and the V16 would be much smaller than the current one: “only” 7.4 liters. The top speed was supposed to be 563 kph (350 mph), and it would go from 0 to 100 kph (62 mph) in 1.8 seconds.
If the car ever makes it onto the streets and can really have that much power, it will need tires capable of transferring it to the asphalt. It will also demand a fantastic suspension to ensure the car will have the necessary grip in all situations. So far, we would be happy with the final technical specifications. If they were ever released, since they are nowhere to be found. If Devel wants to sing this swan song, it must be more than loud: being clear would also help.
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