Devel Sixteen hypercar Prototype debuted in Dubai

Four years ago, a prototype of the insane Devel Sixteen hypercar debuted in Dubai, but we couldn’t help but be dubious about the company's bold claims. The build quality looked crude compared to its competitors, and Devel claimed the car packed a head-turning 5,000-horsepower thanks to a quad-turbo V16 engine and a top speed exceeding 300 mph. We’ve only recently started to see production hypercars break the 1,000-hp barrier with the likes of the Bugatti Chiron and Koenigsegg Regera, so the Devel Sixteen seemed ahead of its time.

Imagine the surprise, then, when we learned that a production-ready version of the Devel Sixteen was slated to debut at this week’s Dubai Auto Show.

YouTuber Shmee150 was at the show and has shared some footage of the striking Devel Sixteen on display. While the car at the show isn’t the final production model, the new prototype looks considerably more production-ready than the prototype we saw four years ago, featuring a long wheelbase and low profile. At the back, the car looks more like a fighter jet with its massive twin exhausts. According to the video, three versions of the Sixteen are being developed with different levels of power.

2,000-hp and 3,000-hp variants of the Devel Sixteen with a V8 engine are being designed for road use, while the 5,000-hp model is being developed exclusively for the track. Devel claims the range-topper is powered by a 12.3-liter V16 engine and has a top speed of 350 mph, but it isn’t clear if the car at the show is a working prototype.

If you’re still sceptical about its legitimacy, Devel has enlisted Manifattura Automobili Torino to help develop the Sixteen and bring the car to production. This is the same company working with Apollo on the Intensa Emozione and Scuderia Cameron Glickenhaus on the American SCG003 hypercar. Scuderia Cameron Glickenhaus is also contributing to the Sixteen’s design. The hypercar’s interior is still being developed, but the prototype features a minimalist and futuristic cabin that looks surprisingly spacious. Whether the final car meets its target power output remains to be seen, but its development appears to have made significant progress.