The Devel Sixteen is moving, but the viral test footage does not show its headline 5,000-horsepower configuration in action. The prototype was filmed during low-speed development work at Voghera Airport in Italy before its planned turbochargers were installed. The 5,007-hp figure comes from a separate Steve Morris Engines dyno test of the custom V16 engine—not from a complete, independently validated production car.
The short version: a real engine result, an incomplete-car video
The video, covered by New Atlas on August 9, 2021, shows an unfinished Devel Sixteen prototype driving around the grounds of Voghera Airport, south of Milan. It negotiates a slight bend, steers left and right, and produces some tire chirp while traveling at relatively low speed.
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That is meaningful evidence that a prototype was running under its own power. It is not evidence of a full-power acceleration run, a top-speed attempt, a formal track evaluation, or a road-legal production car.
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What the test video actually shows
The footage appears to be a functional shakedown rather than a performance test. The prototype moves along a runway area, turns gently, and is driven through basic changes of direction. The apparent objectives were likely to assess whether the chassis, steering, suspension, and drivetrain could work together well enough for further development.
That kind of test can be useful even when it looks unimpressive. An engineering team must establish basic vehicle behavior before attempting higher-speed testing. It can use early runs to identify problems with suspension geometry, steering response, braking balance, cooling, driveline vibration, tire loading, and electronic control systems.
But the video provides no verified speed, acceleration time, engine-output measurement, telemetry, tire data, or independent test instrumentation. It also does not establish how much throttle the driver used or what engine configuration was installed at the time.
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Calling it a “5,000-hp test” therefore overstates what viewers are seeing. A more accurate description is an early low-speed development test of an incomplete Devel Sixteen prototype.
The 5,007-hp number is tied to a dyno-tested engine
The headline figure is not entirely fictional. Steve Morris Engines, the Michigan-based specialist that developed the Devel V16, identifies the custom engine program as capable of exceeding 5,000 hp. A 2017 EngineLabs report described a dyno result of 5,007 hp at 7,000 rpm.
That result came from a highly specialized, race-oriented configuration. The reported development path included:
- switching to race fuel;
- installing a new solid-roller camshaft; and
- raising boost pressure to 44 psi.
Earlier testing reportedly produced 4,515 hp. The later combination crossed the 5,000-hp threshold on the engine dyno.
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The distinction between an engine dyno result and a finished-car result matters enormously. A dyno can measure the output of an engine under controlled conditions. It does not, by itself, prove that the engine can be installed in a road car, cooled reliably, connected to a suitable transmission, supplied with enough fuel, or operated safely on ordinary tires and public roads.
The 5,007-hp figure is also generally described as a crankshaft figure. It is not the power that would necessarily reach the driven wheels after losses through the transmission, differential, driveshafts, and other components.
What engine is supposed to make that power?
Devel’s stated specification centers on a 12.3-liter V16 with four 81-mm turbochargers. An earlier Devel dyno-video description attributed 4,515 hp at 6,900 rpm to the engine on C16 fuel, while also claiming 3,002 hp at 6,900 rpm on pump gasoline. Those figures come from the manufacturer or its channel description and should be treated as attributed claims rather than independently audited laboratory results.
The engine is an unusual custom design. Reporting from The Drive described Steve Morris Engines as constructing it from two LS3-based V8 sections, with extensive custom machining and electronics work. The control system reportedly required separate firing-order and ECU solutions intended to manage the vibration challenges created by combining two V8-derived sections into one V16.
That architecture helps explain both the spectacle and the engineering difficulty. Sixteen cylinders provide a huge displacement base and a potentially smooth firing sequence, but the complete package still requires a crankcase, crankshaft, lubrication system, cooling system, intake and exhaust plumbing, turbochargers, fuel system, engine controls, transmission, and chassis capable of handling the output.
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At 44 psi of boost, the engine is operating far beyond the conditions associated with an ordinary road car. Race fuel, specialist calibration, frequent inspection, and carefully controlled operating conditions can be acceptable for a dyno or competition-oriented engine. They do not automatically translate into a durable road-going powertrain.
Why the missing turbochargers change the meaning of the footage
Turbochargers are not a cosmetic detail. Four large turbochargers affect the engine’s air supply, exhaust flow, heat load, packaging, control strategy, and power delivery. They also require intercooling, wastegate control, substantial exhaust plumbing, and an engine-management system capable of managing boost and fuel across the rev range.
If the prototype was filmed before those turbochargers were installed, the car was not operating in the same configuration as the dyno-tested 5,007-hp engine. It may have been using a naturally aspirated or otherwise incomplete setup for initial vehicle testing, but the available reporting does not establish every detail of that temporary configuration.
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Devel’s proposed versions were not the same car
Contemporary reporting described a proposed three-version strategy:
| Proposed version | Reported purpose or output | What the evidence establishes |
|---|---|---|
| Track version | Full-power configuration associated with the V16 | A product plan, not proof of a completed production vehicle |
| Road version | Approximately 3,000 hp | A stated target, not an independently verified delivered specification |
| V8 version | Lower-output road-oriented model | A proposed variant rather than a documented production model in the reviewed evidence |
This matters because “the Devel Sixteen” can refer to a family of proposed configurations rather than one universally defined powertrain. The full-power track version, the approximately 3,000-hp road version, and the lower-output V8 version would have different engineering, durability, emissions, cooling, transmission, and homologation requirements.
What about the claimed 300- or 350-mph top speed?
The reviewed evidence does not verify a 300-plus-mph or 350-mph run. It also does not establish that a complete production Devel Sixteen reached those speeds.
Extreme top-speed claims require much more than a powerful engine. The car would need tires capable of safely operating at the target speed, stable aerodynamics, sufficient downforce without excessive drag, predictable suspension behavior, reliable cooling, a suitable transmission and final drive, and a controlled test venue. At very high speed, small changes in ride height, steering input, tire temperature, or aerodynamic balance can have major consequences.
The Drive’s earlier coverage discussed a separate acceleration video in which the prototype was reportedly operating at only 20 percent throttle. Even a successful acceleration demonstration at partial throttle would not prove production readiness, full-power control, or top-speed capability. It would show only that the vehicle could accelerate under the conditions shown.
Three levels of evidence behind the Devel Sixteen story
The available evidence is best understood in three layers:
1. Strongest: a reported engine dyno result
Steve Morris Engines developed the custom V16, and the reported race-oriented dyno result was 5,007 hp at 7,000 rpm at the crank. This supports the claim that an engine associated with the project reached the headline power level under specialized test conditions.
2. Moderate: a running prototype
The footage shows a Devel prototype moving under its own power, and other limited footage shows the car performing basic or partial-throttle driving. This supports the claim that the project progressed beyond a static auto-show display.
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3. Unresolved: the complete production car
The reviewed material does not verify a customer-ready car delivering 5,000 hp on the road. It also does not verify sustained 300-plus-mph operation, road homologation, long-term reliability, or regular customer production in the promised specification.
The most defensible conclusion is therefore not that the Devel Sixteen is fake, nor that the video proves the entire project. The evidence supports a legitimate extreme-engine development effort and a running prototype. The much harder question—whether that engine can become a reliable, tire-compatible, aerodynamically stable, road-usable production car—remains separate.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why putting 5,000 hp into a car is harder than building the engine
An engine dyno isolates the powerplant. A vehicle has to absorb and use that power while carrying a driver, fuel, cooling hardware, electronics, safety equipment, and bodywork.
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- Drivetrain strength: the transmission, clutch or torque converter, differentials, axles, and driveshafts must survive enormous loads.
- Thermal management: combustion heat, turbocharger heat, charge-air temperature, oil temperature, transmission temperature, and coolant temperature all become major design problems.
- Power delivery: a car that makes huge peak power but cannot deliver it progressively may be difficult or dangerous to control.
- Chassis and suspension: the structure must manage acceleration, braking, cornering, and aerodynamic forces without unpredictable behavior.
- Aerodynamics: a body designed for stability at extreme speed can conflict with the low drag needed to reach that speed.
- Compliance: emissions, noise, lighting, crash safety, braking, visibility, and other requirements differ by market and may be incompatible with a race-focused engine configuration.
These are not objections to the dyno result. They are reasons the dyno result should not be treated as a completed-car validation.
Can you buy a Devel Sixteen or an exact replica?
The available evidence does not establish sustained customer production of a 5,000-hp Devel Sixteen in the configuration shown in the company’s promotional specifications. Devel’s official materials list a 12.3-liter quad-turbo V16, 5,007 hp, and 3,757 lb-ft of torque, and identify the concept as having been launched at the 2017 Dubai International Motor Show. Those are Devel’s stated specifications, not independent validation of delivered production cars.
For readers interested in the mechanical idea rather than a claimed official replica, an adjacent W16 engine model kit can provide a hands-on display or STEM-style building project. It is important to be clear: that is not a Devel Sixteen replica, not official Devel merchandise, and not evidence that the model reproduces the Devel V16’s architecture. It is simply a related way to explore the visual and mechanical appeal of a multi-cylinder engine.
Verdict: spectacular prototype footage, not proof of a 5,000-hp road car
The shocking part of the video is not that a finished hypercar suddenly demonstrated 5,000 hp. It is that an unfinished prototype tied to one of the most ambitious engine claims in modern automotive culture was moving under its own power during early development work.
The engine figure has a credible dyno-testing basis: a reported 5,007 hp at the crank from the Steve Morris Engines V16 in a high-boost, race-fuel configuration. The video, however, shows a different and incomplete stage of the project, reportedly before the four turbochargers were installed.
So the footage proves that the Devel Sixteen project had a running prototype undergoing basic handling and suspension tests. It does not prove that a complete production car delivered 5,000 hp, reached 350 mph, satisfied road-homologation requirements, or entered sustained customer production.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did the Devel Sixteen test video show 5,000 horsepower?
No. The footage showed an incomplete prototype during low-speed development testing, reportedly before its four planned turbochargers were installed. The 5,007-hp claim comes from a separate dyno test of the custom V16 engine.
How much power did the Devel Sixteen engine make on the dyno?
A 2017 report described a result of 5,007 hp at 7,000 rpm at the crank in a race-oriented configuration using race fuel, a revised camshaft, and 44 psi of boost. Earlier testing was reportedly rated at 4,515 hp.
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Was the Devel Sixteen a production car?
The reviewed evidence confirms a running prototype and Devel’s stated specifications, but it does not independently establish sustained customer production of a complete 5,000-hp road car.
Did the Devel Sixteen reach 350 mph?
The reviewed sources do not verify a 350-mph run or a 300-plus-mph production-car test. A high-power engine alone cannot establish tire capability, aerodynamic stability, braking performance, or safe sustained operation at that speed.
The Bottom Line
Bottom line: the Devel Sixteen video shows a real, moving prototype—not a verified 5,000-hp road test. The headline number belongs to a separately dyno-tested V16 in a specialized race configuration, while the car footage captures an earlier stage of development before the planned turbochargers were installed.
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